The Killer Supreme
by Beefpie
Summary: Vaurien Scapegrace screwed up…Big time… his first kill was a complete accident that may, or may not cost him his life. With fear plaguing his mind and a new breed of evil rising from the shadows…will the 'good guys' seriously risk their lives to help this idiot? Or will they let him die- taking one of earths biggest secretes with him…
1. Chapter 1

Vaurien felt his head slam against the side of a wall and then six chalk white fingers tightened around his neck. For the first time in his life Vaurien was too petrified to even whimper… A voice as cold as ice and as dark as night seemed to sing its words into the air around them.

"Tell me" it sang, the bloodlust having a frenzy in its eyes "Where is she?" it smiled.

The eyes on the creature seemed to pin Vaurien to the spot he squeaked and tried to stammer his answer, but the tight and aggressive grip on his neck seemed to cut off any words he could produce.

The creature laughed and coughed up a gravelly dust…

"Your making me hungry, talk idiot…or im just gunna have to tear out you windpipe."

Vaurien shut his eyes and breathed deeply, well as deep as possible because he didn't want to expose his windpipe.

"i…i…i….i r…really… " he stuttered, the fear in his voice making him sound half his age.

Vaurien felt an overwhelming sense of pride; he finally kept an important secrete to himself.

"You going to speak?" it warned him "or can I eat now?" The mouth of the creature started to froth with the over produced mass of saliva.

Vaurien screamed tears pouring out of his eyes.

"OOOHHKKAY!" he screamed "PLEASE, PLEEAASSEE! IM SORRY I'LL TELL YOU ANYTHING! ANNYTHIING!" He struggled in the grasp of the monster, clawing his way at the brick wall pressing against his back.

The monster's smile faded and it tried to swallow the sticky mess of drool hanging out its mouth.

"Tell me where she is, and then I'll let you g…" The conversation between the two was interrupted by a gentle but purposeful coughing.

"Sorry boys, I interrupting anything?" A woman sheathed her sword her body wrapped in a tight brown leather jacket and a strapless shirt that looked like it was going to pop.

Vaurien smiled "Oh m-m-my god-t-thank you…." he rolled his eyes the relief on his face was so clear that the creature in front of him scowled.

"Who is this?" it asked.

Vaurien's sweaty body shrugged.

"Haven't the foggiest" he lied "But I have the sudden urge to beg her to take me away to my nice warm cell already… please?"

Tanith laughed "I'll have that in writing please after this Vaurien, just hold on two secs and you can have your neck back."

The creature laughed making a vicious glugging sound "Don't even try beautiful, im not fighting anyone today, especially not a pretty little lady like yourself..."

Tanith shook her head and smirked "Oh you scared of me now? Come and have a go sweetie…if you think you're hard enough?" She charged forward raising the sword high into the air.

The creature grunted, threw Vaurien to the floor and as Tanith's sword sliced between its eyes the whole of its body evaporated into shadows and it fled into the night sky.

"Wow…that was easy…" she smiled looking up into the stars.

"He…he's not dead…." Vaurien whimpered placing his head between his legs, shivering violently.

Tanith sighed and crouched down.

"You coming back to your safe, warm cell now?" she raised her eyebrows as he laughed sadly.

"Yeah…."he agreed "but it won't make a difference…he'll find me anyway…he'll kill me for what I've done…" Vaurien wiped his pale eyes with the back of his sleeve; his skin was so pale Tanith swore she could see through it.

"What? Vaurien, there's no way that big idiot will find you in prison ok? You'll be safer there than you are out here." She tried to look into his eyes but he was quite oblivious to where she was crouching.

"That's what I'd like to think…you might as well kill me now…"

Tanith pulled her tussled hair behind her ear and lifted the slumping man to his feet.

"As much as I'd like too, you know I can't do that, technically that's still be classified as murder, so your just gunna' have to come with me, now can you get in the car…or do I have to handcuff you again?"

Vaurien was already reaching for the door handle and he got in reluctantly, without saying a word.

Tanith shut him in and paused for a second, she opened the door again and Vaurien didn't even bother looking up.

"Vaurien…why is that thing trying to kill you in the first place? What does he want from you?" Tanith ducked her head under the car roof so her voice was concealed.

Vaurien laughed and shook his head… then he swallowed and tried to look up into her eyes- his own eyes were a tear stained puffy mess and he rubbed them once again with his sleeve.

"I…I can't tell you…" he sniffled.

Tanith rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut.

As she got into the driver's seat she heard Vaurien weeping uncontrollably in the back of the car.

A weird sort of fear entered her mind…Vaurien always cried, like always…he cried when he got caught, when he felt scared, threatened, and sad but this was a new kind of sound…like something out of one of these old horror movies.

"Vaurien are you ok?" Tanith asked, as she turned around to look at him…

Her pupils widened.

Vaurien was crying alright, but he was smiling too, and pointing the revolver straight between her eyes.

"Your turn" he laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

Tanith's mouth opened to speak but Vaurien screamed at her.

"DON'T SPEAK!" he screeched his smile turning into a twisted snarl.

Tanith placed both her hands in the open to show him she wasn't going to do anything.

"G-get out the car…" He spat.

"Vaurien…you don't know what you're doing…calm down and put the gun dow…"

"DON'T TALK TO ME!" He roared, His hair still clung to his scalp and his hands started trembling.

Tanith started to get a little scared, she tried to look as calm as possible as she got out of the car.

Vaurien scuttled out almost tripping over but the shaking gun remained aiming at her head.

"KNEEL DOWN A-AND P-PUT YOU'RE HANDS ON YOUR HEAD…" His face was contorted in a sort of blind rage and he was looking over his shoulder every 5 seconds.

Tanith obeyed and put her hands on her head, there was a moment he glanced at her breasts but her jaw dropping made him divert his eyes back to her face.

"N-now y-you stay here a-and l-let me drive off…" Vaurien's hands were shaking like mad and she was scared his finger would slip and she's have a bullet shaped hole in her head.

She pretended to be scared and she let out a innocent little cry.

"V-Vaurien you wouldn't kill me would y-you?" The man considered this for a moment before he answered with the cold honest truth.

"Y-yes" he said….she didn't hear the usual coward like squeak in his voice but this time it was replaced with a heartless and fearful groan.

She made her face screw up and a little forced tear fell down her cheek.

"Why are you doing this? You wanted to go back to prison? You told me?" she sobbed.

He relaxed his hands a little and let the gun drop to her lungs…

"I-i-im not safe anywhere….at that moment I assumed that letting you take me to the sanctuary was the safest thing to do…BUT ITS NOT!" he sobbed wiping his raw red eyes with his sleeve once again.

Tanith tried to fake another tear, but they just weren't coming- 'damn' she thought.

"Maybe I could help you?" she said, truth is she probably could help him if he just gave her the chance, problem was she new Vaurien was too full of himself to rely upon other people.

"No one can help me…. " He sniffed "He's going to find me….he's going to torture me…a-and….there's….nothing anyone can do about it…" he dropped the gun to his waist and sighed and Tanith realised she'd been holding her breath that entire time- panting wildly she spoke a little more powerfully.

"Vaurien, you know what we're like; we 'CAN' help you, seriously." She put her hands down slowly as to not upset him and cautiously rose to her feet. He flinched and started to twitch his hand.

The poor thing looked like a stray cat, beaten, bruised scarred and petrified of anything moving.

Tanith took a small shuffle forward and he took several large pounds back.

"Stay away!" he screamed "I'll shoot!"

She rolled her eyes and walked forward quickly, he panicked fumbling for the trigger but she tore it out of his hands and threw it to the floor. It skidded to a halt as it hit the far wall.

He yelped and closed his eyes and waited for the pain….but instead none came…

He opened one eye and saw Tanith reaching her hand for his shoulder. At her touch he flinched wildly but he soon fell accustomed to the warm, soft thumb stroking his shoulder.

"We can help" she said.

He looked at her with both his eyes and her other hand fell to his cheek, her warm feeling buzzed through him and his mouth trembled.

"No…" he cried softly

"Yes," Tanith insisted "I promise you, no one else will hurt you…"

He slowly took in her words and nodded.

"I-i-I can't go back to prison…he knows that's where I'd go… he'd find me there straight away….. T-Tanith please" The man's eyebrows slanted downward making his face look like a puppy dog.

"We won't…" she thought about what she said and then shook her head taking her hands off his face. "Well…we'll see ok? But right now you need to calm down and let me take you to skulduggery" She smiled warmly and Vaurien tried to back away.

"NO! NOT THAT SKELETON! HE'LL WANT ME DEAD! PLEASE TANNITH NO!" he started to blubber and panic again and Tanith sighed.

"Im so sorry sweetheart" she said.

"F-for what?" he yelped.

Vaurien's unconscious body fell to the floor and Tanith unclenched her right fist.

She threw his body over her shoulder and placed his gently into the car. She looked at his cold crumpled body and pitted him…whatever had happened…he'd got into a right state… why was he that terrified? She's seen him scared countless times before but never- never had he been like this.

She sighed taking off her coat and placing it over his body.

Then she re opened the front door, turned on the engine and headed for Gordon Edgley's old house.

Vaurien stirred in his sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Vaurien wiped his eyes, they felt puffy from last night's tears and his right cheek felt swollen and bruised…'oh right' he remembered 'I was punched in the face…' He shuffled under a warm leather coat and started to accustom to his surroundings.

He was in Tanith's car spread in a starfish position above the back three seats.

He yawned, clicking the stiff bones in his neck and then he relished the car was empty, he sat up quickly, His hair stuck out in funny angles and he was unfortunately unaware of the large lemon sized bruise on his right eye. He looked around the car but no one was in… the early morning sunlight was peeping over the trees in the distance and a foggy morning haze seemed to drown the car.

"Tanith" he said quietly.

At the silent response he lunged for the door handle and leapt from the car, Vaurien came out tumbling and rolling over a gravel driveway and he cursed under his breath as he sat back up.

"Ah" Tanith said "There he is"

Vaurien looked up grumpily at the sound of her voice.

She was standing in the doorway to a big old house that looked like one of these fairy tale things.

"What are we doing here" he grumbled the bruise on his face making her snigger a little.

She shuffled sideways and skulduggery and Valkyrie looked at him with their creepy, judging stares.

He whined.

"Y-YOU- why you?" His eyes narrowed.

Skulduggery crossed his arms across his ribcage "Well seeing you first thing in the morning isn't exactly my cup of tea either…"

Vaurien fumbled to stand up on his two feet but finally managed to stand looking quite angry with this whole situation.

"W…what's going on anyway?" he snarled.

Tanith turned to face him "Well…we were just seeing what we should do with you? I was asking skulduggery for advice…"

Vaurien's face drooped.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE ME TO PRISON! He…he will go there first! He'll know im there!" He shuffled forward a step his boots making a grinding sound on the stones.

"He?" Valkyrie looked at Tanith "As in the man inside his head?"

Tanith smiled "No, he's somehow got himself into some kind of trouble- But- You don't want to tell me now do you Vaurien?"

Vaurien's face went a bony grey and he tried to swallow with a dry throat.

"N-no I can't"

Skulduggery sighed facing his skull to the floor "Well…..I suppose it'll have to be the blender then"

Vaurien whimpered "W-what?"

"Well if we slice you up into tiny …'tiny' little pieces... Then that man will never find you, now will he?"

Valkyrie grinned "And! we all get free smoothies, Tanith just loves the little bits of brain bobbing about on the top" Valkyrie tried not to laugh as Vaurien fell backwards over his scuttling feet.

"All that 'Blood and…Messiness' you know?" skulduggery almost snorted and Tanith shook her head.

"There just messing with you sweetie, seriously, you can come inside they won't hurt you…"

Vaurien pushed himself back off the floor and very VERY cautiously he came closer to the door.

As he got closer his eyes met with Valkyrie who was leaning mockingly against the doorframe.

At his next couple of steps Valkyrie made a blending sound with her mouth twirling her index finger in a slicing motion around and around.

Vaurien squealed and ran in through the door almost knocking skulduggery to the floor.

They burst into laughter and Tanith shook her head smiling and flicking her hair off her neck and over one shoulder.

Vaurien maneuvererd himself to sit on the stairs and he sulked at the bottom staring at the little chips in the wooden floor.

Tanith sniggered.

"You wanna' drink?"

The hall fell silent and then he noticed she was talking to him.

"N-no I don't drink" he stuttered.

Tanith smiled "I meant like juice or something sweetie, not alcohol."

Valkyrie bit her knuckles and had to look away and for the first time in a few days Vaurien's face went red.

"Water…just water."

She nodded and walked off to the kitchen rolling up her sleeves.

For the next few seconds the three of them just waited in a smouldering awkward silence.

It felt like years…

She came back and handed him the glass. He sipped it tentatively.

Tanith turned her attention back to skulduggery.

"So you think we should stick to our first decision, I mean it couldn't do any harm could it?"

Skulduggery laughed "Well im not so sure about that, I mean now he's here and all it just seems a little" he flicked his hands and motioned a kind of hidden word which Tanith seemed to understand perfectly.

"I KNOW, I know…but it would only be until we found out the truth?"

Valkyrie sighed "I liked option four"

Skulduggery opened his jaw but Tanith raised a finger "Ah-"she said.

He raised his hand again but she gave him the stare.

"I agree with her" he whispered.

"Option one then…agreed?" she insisted

The others nodded unwillingly and Vaurien looked up with two bright little eyes.

"What's option one?" he asked

Tanith closed her eyes and took a deep unwanted breath "Ookkaaayy….so basically… until we find out what's going on, we think we know where you'd be safest."

His lips parted a little "Not prison right? Pleaaase pleeaaase not prison."

"Actually, right here" she said.

"WHAT" He screeched.

"Well look, whoever's after you would not expect your 'enemies' to give you refuge now will he? This is the most unexpected place you could be. Your safe her Vaurien."

He racked his brain for any excuse anything to get him out of here… none came…

"We'll decide where you'll sleep later, but right now you can….go…read a book or something…if you read that is…" Tanith smiled half-heartedly and walked past him back into the kitchen, she retraced her steps, reached through the banisters and brushed down his hair.

The corners of his mouth twitched a little but then she was gone.

Skulduggery followed her, then Valkyrie but she stopped and gave him a cruel smile.

He frowned "Go away kid, I don't wanna' be responsible to beat up a little girl"

She laughed as if he was joking and his ears burned.

"What was option four anyway?" he demanded

"Option four?" she smiled looking to the kitchen and then back to him.

She made the whirring sound of the blender and walked into the kitchen laughing.

Vaurien sat on the stairs and gulped.

Prison was safer…prison was definitely safer.


	4. Chapter 4

(I'M SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS REALLY LONG AND NOT 100% AMAZING! But it's super important and it has to be here! We need to get this story going after all! Again thank you all for the reviews and PM's! Means a lot!

~Beef pie)

The moon started to part through the clouds as Vaurien sat himself on the end of the bed in the spare room, Valkyrie said she'd slept their many times before when her late uncle was still alive- it creeped him out to think the stupid kid had slept in the same bed as him. He was blowing a hot chocolate and trying to make the shapes on the top of it swirl around in it some kind of fun little pattern. He smiled to himself when it kinda' resembled a peni…

"Hey Vaurien" Tanith said walking into the room, he coughed anxiously and pretended to look out the window.

"Oh, hey" he said.

"I brought you a hot water bottle…this room gets pretty cold in the night…" she threw an old rubbery thing onto the bed and it made the sound of a fat person wobbling his/her belly around.

He laughed and picked it up.

"What is it?" he smiled ecstatically.

Tanith seemed to laugh at his amusement. "You've never seen one before? Seriously? They warm up your bed at night"

His smile broadened and he put the mug down on the side table, then he diverted his full attention to this 'hot water bottle' he picked it up with both of his hands and felt it's warm innards squish in his hands.

"This thing is great" he smiled and started to poke it and watch it squirm.

"Thank you" he said pulling the warm, blubbery square into his chest.

Tanith smirked and then replied sarcastically "Well it makes a change from you crying every ten minutes"

He laughed nervously twirling his thumbs around.

"Yeah well, im not the bravest of guys…"

"No kidding" mumbled Tanith laughing.

"right…" he said smiling.

"So You thinking of changing out of those bunny pyjamas or are you going to let the others see you like this?" she laughed undoing her pony tail and shaking her twirling hair free over her neck.

He stared at her face smiling " I like your hair like that- down…and all…..it's nicer…"

Tanith nodded unsure of what to say next so Vaurien stuttered on to another sentence.

"Tanith-Are you sure I'll be safe here…im getting the impression the others aren't very fussed over my wellbeing."

"What made you think that?" she smiled "And yes Vaurien you're safe here… would I really lie to you" she winked.

Vaurien sniggered "Well to be honest, I don't really trust anyone right now…"

His little smile started to turn and he fell into that solemn miserable scowl.

Tanith groaned "That's it" she said walking over towards him.

She sat down on the end of the bed next to him and the hot water bottle glugged.

"What's the matter with you? I've arrested you countless times before, so why are you so scared? What the hell's going on?"

Vaurien bit his lip.

"M-m-maybe if I told you….i-it wouldn't be so bad…" he muttered.

"Maybe so…" she said.

"Promise you won't say anything….to anyone else…not the skeleton- or the girl! And especially not the sanctuary..."

"Vaurien… I promise that I'd help you- that means- we might need skulduggery or Valkyrie, maybe even the sanctuary… I can't promise you anything I can't keep."

He looked at her a little more seriously for a moment, his eyes penetrating hers and trying to read under her thoughts until finally he looked down and shook his head.

"Fine" he sighed "But only if necessary…"

"ok" she agreed "tell me…"

Vaurien cleared his throat and shuffled a little bit closer toward her, clinging onto the hot water bottle.

"Promise you won't hate me after this…" he sniffed.

"i…."she paused "I promise" she said stiffly.

"Fallonia Mombai was a s-spanish necromancer… she was a p-pretty powerful person… who was last living in Georgia… from that…she would seem like just another ordinary person with not much story to tell…but you see…s-she w-was different…"

Vaurien's throat started to clog up.

"Go on sweetie" Tanith said her eyebrows tilting downwards.

"S-she was getting a publicity- f-for her interest in the faceless ones… she was attracting the…the wrong kind of attention. For a few years she worked with Vengous, Vile and s-serpine… but then…she just vanished…no trace no…no…nothing."

Vaurien's knuckles went white as he clung to the hot water bottle and Tanith placed one of her own his to calm his down.

"But?" she insisted

"But…well…I found man…who I was …attempting to murder… and he…he gave me a deal…"

He took a deep breath and shook his head again.

"I let my first potential murder go…b-b-because he told me where Fallonia was hiding…"

The silence that filled the room was not a pleasant one.

"What happened then?" Tanith asked.

Vaurien whimpered "w…well I went to find her didn't I? …. as soon as my legs could carry me I was on a ferry and headed straight for her…I suppose I was hoping she'd give my title some fame out there in the big wide world"

"Did you find her?" Tanith asked.

Vaurien nodded

"…oh yes…I found her alright…."

********************* VAURIENS P.O.V ( Fallonia's hideaway)********************

I knocked on the door. It collapsed as I did so and I backed away shrieking…well screaming cuz' I don't really shriek…. The building was old. Really, really old. Cobwebs seemed to be the new wallpaper and the floorboards had been torn up and smashed to pieces.

My nose curled as I took my first steps inside and smelt the rotting, damp wooden smell.

"Ew" I said as I looked at the blood ridden carpet trailing up the stairs.

The place was dark too…I mean im not scared of the dark…but it's not my favourite thing in the world…and judging by the mass of cobwebs, spiders would be here too….i realllllyy hate spiders.

I tried to shuffle my way through the hallway but every step brought a bit of rotting roof beam falling on my head. I was quite literally walking through a large pack of cards. I was worried that if I breathed too hard the whole thing would crumble over. I started to head through the main corridor of the house and I heard a worrying creak at every step I took.

'Right' I told myself 'find the woman, find the woman find the woMARRGGHHH!' My body went tumbling through the floor smacking the occasional brick and plank as I kept on falling down.

My mind was frozen solid with fear and I waited for the hard thump of the ground…but I just kept on falling…after a while I knew there was no way out…I was gunna' die…Hit the floor- SPLAT-and die.

I burst into tears but shut up as I felt myself sinking into a spongy substance. I had hit the floor…but it was surprisingly soft.

I smiled at my sudden luck and looked around me for this new praised source of cushioning… Bodies…my face dropped and then the smell hit me. I gagged but then it went further down my throat then I coughed but when I breathed in the smell of decaying flesh just drowned me.

I struggled for air squealing and straining for fresh air.

"Help" I screamed…I don't know why because no one was there.

"HEELLLLP MEEEHHHH- HELP-UR' Hands gripped tightly around my mouth and pulled me down through the bodies, I felt the decaying presence of thousands of dead eyes watching me, helplessly, screaming with bony thin fingers holding my screams silent. BAM.

I felt myself land on solid soil, nice solid dirt and I panted wildly, keeping my head between my legs and weeping.

"Don't cry" a soft voice said. It was cold. But soft.

I refused to look up, my body shaking and trembling with fear.

"Are you really the one who found me? Are you really this worthy… 'one'?"

I shook my head and peeped up over my legs.

The woman was completely naked.

"ARGH" I screamed, backing away quickly.

I didn't know whether to scream or to look... or to tell her or something?

"Y-you are…n…." I struggled for the words and she laughed.

I finally managed to divert my eyes back up to her face and then realised who I was talking to.

"F-fallonia?" I stuttered

The chizzled face, the beautiful eyes, the shadows for hair and the dark skin.

She placed her arms across her body and retrieved some of her dignity then she smiled cruelly and sniggered at me "Why have you come for me? Are you here to kill me?, to take me as your own? To…'hand' me back to vile and the others?. What brings you here fool?."

My pride was shattered.

"Urm…well you see I thought if I managed to capture you and bring you back- Bamo! Im the best criminal the world will ever know? See?…well obviously not…but I made a quick decision and I kind of wanted to stick to it…and then"

"Shut up…" she said.

I started to get angry at her lack of respect.

"Do you even know why I left?" The fury in her voice made my bones feel cold.

I shuddered "c-change of scenery?"

She laughed, cackling in a dark, seductive voice.

"No," she said plainly.

"Im no longer a woman" she smiled "im so much more than a mere woman"

As she raised her hands the blackness around us started to change into an ocean of colours and light, her eyes went an illuminating white and she spoke with the voice of many many others.

"We can open the gateway for our gods, we can talk to them, we can praise with them, we feel them and we are them. We use the power of the darkness rested in our people and we create the living breathing chaos that spreads your world into war and devastation."

I backed away fearfully my mind bursting with this knowledge and imagery of the faceless ones.

"We have a new magic, a darker one, a desirable one, Come with us" She said. The voices she spoke in sounded pure evil and made my veins prickle with horror.

Her body was covered in shadows and black veils and she reached a hand for my heart. Her fingertips pressed into my chest and I felt the most agonising pain imaginable tearing through my chest. As if she was pulling my heart to the surface. Behind her a huge portal of flames and chaos soiled and burned.

I screamed for her to stop but it was too late.

I had absolutely no idea what to do.

She plucked her fingers at my chest and I heart a tearing sound in my ears.

In a final and desperate attempt for freedom I kicked her as hard as possible in the chest- the woman went flying backwards and I closed my eyes for the pain to return. It didn't. When I opened my eyes, the colours and the portal flew backwards like they were re-entering her body.

The sound of a million people screaming echoed in the cavern and I gripped my head tightly. When the lights and fire were gone I opened my eyes and saw the woman's body laying impaled off a stalactite coming off the cave floor. My body shook as I saw a corridor leading back upstairs into the house… I fumbled to stand back up again and ran past the dead woman and into the stairwell. Not even wanting to look back at my first, bloody and cruel hearted kill. After a few horrible minutes I was laying back on the weeds of her front porch panting and gasping for fresh air. I was caked in sweat and my chest throbbed like mad. I pulled off the top few buttons of my shirt and looked at my pulsing chest. The veins leading from my heart were pitch black.

'Damn' I thought and lay my head back down onto the weeds.

Tanith stared at him.

He tried to look back at her but he couldn't make eye contact.

"The man that I let live earlier told a group of famous assassins that I knew the whereabouce of Fallonia and I could help them find her…little did they know…she is now dead and I…im…well…"

He unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing until the top part of his chest was showing.

Sure enough the black veins yawned from his heart up to his shoulders and then down to his ribs.

Tanith gasped and reached a hand to touch it. She stroked her finger down the black line in his body and looked up into his eyes.

"What does this mean?" she asked.

"I think…I think this means im turning…"

Tanith's hand clenched on his bare chest "what do you mean?"

"Turning into whatever happened to fallonia… I think this means that…that I have direct access to the faceless ones…I hear things talking sometimes…but…I just thought I was mad…until now…"

Tanith took a deep breath "Do you know what this means?"

Vaurien looked up worriedly.

"Vaurien, this means every single criminal in the entire world will either want you dead or on their side."

Vaurien's mouth twitched "so wait… i…im the most wanted guy? In like…the whole world?"

Tanith shook her head worriedly "yeah…I guess so"


	5. Chapter 5

(OK! Next few chapters were the most fun I've ever had! They're mostly introducing the pairing 'SCANITH' and to a few of my friends reading this, you'll understand why it's just so funny. I hope you laugh at the next few chapters as much as I did! Thank you all! And happy Christmas!)

Vaurien peeped at the morning light creeping through the window and he snuggled into a warm lump under his arms. He shuffled in his bed and felt Tanith's breath tickle his eyelids.

He opened his eyes, startled, and realised he'd been dreaming.

He flung off his cover to make sure no one was there, luckily he was alone.

'phhewww….' he sighed, shocked that his brain could conjure up such an image.

He placed his feet into some of Valkyries uncle's slippers and he felt the love and affection they'd had immediately after standing, the edges of them were worn and smooth and they made his feet feel adored.

He shuffled into a blue dressing gown and walked downstairs plodding on every step.

As he pushed through the kitchen door he nodded with acknowledgment of the four pairs of eyes staring at him. Valkyrie was eating a bowl of cereal and skulduggery was sitting on the table- on the other side of the room stood Tanith, and a man with scars all over his head.

"Morning" he grumbled, reaching for the single coffee placed on the table.

"That was mine, but sure, you can have it…" said the man with scars.

Vaurien shrugged and sipped it anyway.

He immediately didn't like the stranger and wanted him to go… three idiots was enough…. Well Tanith wasn't so much an idoit…. But still four was way too many.

Skulduggery broke the silence "So Tanith, im going to need you contact the sanctuary immediately, if anything goes wrong we know exactly where to send him"

Vaurien spit the coffee back into the cup and slammed it onto the table.

"You told him!" he raised his voice angrily "I told you not to say anything! You lied! You- you lied to me!" he took a step forward and skulduggery stuck his hand out tauntingly.

"Vaurien, calm down, she was only thinking what was best for y-"

Vaurien kicked the table as hard as possible and one the legs collapsed taking the coffee mug and Valkyries cereal with it.

"Vaurien!" Tanith yelled.

He looked down to the mess in front of him and his anger vanished immediately "Oh my god im so sorry- I-oh my god- I didn't think I could- I" he looked at his chest and sighed.

"WOW- someone's got anger issues…." Valkyrie looked sadly down at her lost cheerio's.

Vaurien scowled at her.

"Vaurien, I promised you I'd do what I can to help you remember? Well if every criminal in the world is after you, you 'NEED' the sanctuary to be on your side."

He spent a few moments considering this and then he nodded grudgingly.

" i…I know…. It's just…Urrghhh…fine…tell them anything you want" he picked up the pieces of mug and bowel and put the smashed pieces of it in the bin.

"I'll…replace that…" he said looking at the lopsided table.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes "surree you will..."

The room entered a little awkward silence where no one spoke or looked at each other.

"Right" said the man with the scars "Best be off then"

The other three immediately burst into life trying to break the ice and saying goodbye to him. He hugged Valkyrie and shook hands with skulduggery. Then he looked at Tanith. Vaurien tried to work out what he was feeling about the whole situation but it was too complicated.

The scar faced man hugged Tanith nervously and left the room smiling. The corners of Vaurien's mouth curled angrily.

'OH my god' he thought 'it was just a dream man, getter hold of yourself...you're not jealous stop thinking you're jealous' he clenched his fists with anger towards himself and Valkyrie was staring at him with her mouth open a little judgingly.

"What's wrong with the killer supreme this morning?" she smiled "he get up the wrong side of bed this morning?"

Vaurien sniggered as the scar man pulled away out of the drive.

He dragged a finger across his neck and mouthed the words 'your dead'

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows…" did you just threaten me?" she laughed.

Tanith didn't even look up from the dishes and said "Vaurien leave her alone"

Skulduggery laughed whilst handing Valkyrie a smaller bowel of cheerio's than before.

"Im not hungry" Valkyrie began.

"Eat" skulduggery replied and went back to help Tanith with the kitchen.

Vaurien sniggered "Looks like your still a little diddums? Hey Val?"

Valkyrie nodded imitating his smug little face and pointed towards the blender angrily.

Vaurien's eyes widened "Haha…i-I thought t-that was a joke?" he stammered.

Valkyrie shook her head and munched on some cheerio's aggressively.

Vaurien gulped.

He tried to divert his eyes from Valkyrie and found himself looking at a box of colourful things; he walked over towards it and picked up a golden bushy string.

"What's this?" Vaurien said wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

Tanith looked over her shoulder and smirked.

"Vaurien when did you last celebrate Christmas?"

His eyes pricked up and he jerked his head from her to the golden thing and then back to her.

"I-is it c-Christmas soon?" he asked his eyes as bright as a child's.

"Yeah, what in like a few weeks?"

Vaurien smiled "I haven't spent a Christmas with other people before."

With that, Tanith, Valkyrie and Skulduggery looked at him.

"What? Really?" Valkyrie said.

Vaurien shook his head "Not since I was like eight…. Which was a looong time ago." He looked back in the box.

"Oh my god! Are you guys decorating the house?" Vaurien looked from eye to eye around the room and then Valkyrie muttered "yeah, I guess, we were thinking about it…but…"

Vaurien leapt up and ran out the kitchen trailing the golden string with him.

Valkyrie looked at Tanith, and they followed the prancing man out into the hallway.

He was wrapping the tinsel around the banister and swirling its golden figure repetitively around each wooden beam.

"Vaurien" Skulduggery demanded "Come back down here"

Vaurien was probably too busy with excitement and he just laughed saying 'one minute' over and over again.

"Valkyrie tugged on skulduggery sleeve and he nodded understandingly.

"VAURIEN" Skulduggery yelled.

The flailing man stopped on about the fifth step and looked at them all, they all looked quite solemn and he wondered what he'd done wrong.

"Guys what is it? …. Oh no…did you wanna' do the stairs? I can take it off for you if Valkyrie wanted t…"

"No" skulduggery interrupted "We didn't want to do the stairs,"

Vaurien shrugged "Then what is it?" he sniggered.

"Well" Valkyrie began "We had kind of planned for you to stay in a holding cell for Christmas, until after the holidays…you know?"

Vaurien slowly let the gold tinsel slip from his hands and his smile started to weaken.

"Oh…" he said "Sure…sure…right…" his smile faded and he took a step back down from his previous spot. Vaurien tried to cover his disappointment, but it didn't work very well, and even Valkyrie felt a tiny tiny bit guilty.

"Right" he said again "So when was I supposed to be leaving"

"This afternoon" said skulduggery.

Valkyrie had a brief spurt of relief, as skulduggery was the only one who was physically not able to show any guilt.

"Right" he repeated.

"You might want to change out of those pyjamas… people might laugh at you" Skulduggery added.

Vaurien shook off his disappointment and struggled to just look cool about the whole situation.

"No guys it's really alright im cool about it, I get it, this isn't my house anyway…or…or my friends….or my family….." he couldn't find any strength to look at any of them and he felt his stupid face glowing a little bit red.

He bit his lip laughing anxiously and started heading upstairs again.

Tanith's gut retracted "Vaurien!" she cried "Wait."

He didn't turn around to face her and just replied with one simple quiet word "What?"

Tanith put a hand and ran it through her hair, breathing out all of her stress.

"Look, this doesn't mean ANYTHING, ok? But maybe…maybe you could stay with me at my place- obviously it would only be temporary- but I wouldn't mind having company for Christmas either….even if it is 'you'."

Vaurien turned around, his eyes narrow with doubt.

"Are…are you being serious?"

Tanith laughed "Of course im was being serious! Why would I joke about something like that?"

Without another word, Vaurien thumped down the stairs grabbed Tanith in his arms, picked her up and spun her in circles.

She burst out laughing as Vaurien started leaping around and carrying her over his shoulder.

"I PROMISE I'LL BE THE BEST ROOMIE EVER! A-AND I'LL CLEAN YOUR HOUSE, AND MAKE DINNER, AND BUY YOU LOADS OF PRESSANTS!"

"And break her kitchen tables" Valkyrie smiled.

Vaurien put her down next to skulduggery and she stumbled for her balance for a second, she was laughing her head off tears glistening in her eyes.

She shook her head and managed to balance properly.

"Oh Vaurien what will I do with you?" she smiled but then slapped him around the face.

"Never do that to me again" she laughed.

Vaurien put a hand on his cheek smiling, he was absolutely overjoyed.

"IM GUNNA GET CHANGED NOW!" he yelped running up the stairs with pure excitement.

Valkyrie put a hand on Tanith's shoulder.

"You do know what you've let yourself in for, don't you?" Valkyrie sniggered

Tanith looked at her smiling "Not yet" she laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

Vaurien scapegrace had never been on the London underground before. He wouldn't have liked it much if he wasn't sitting next to Tanith.

She seemed to know her way around London like it was her own apartment. London was pretty. He wanted to go there more.

He was holding his suitcase between his knees and he was looking around like a kid in a toy store.

Every sign, poster and person inside was interesting. All of them looked so Christmassy and it made him smile. He looked at Tanith who seemed really 'uninterested' by the whole situation.

"You gunna take me Christmas shopping with you?" he smiled.

Tanith looked at him casually and shrugged "well usually I don't buy for anyone else except me…so yeah…it would be cool for a change….you can but my presents and I'll buy yours…that sound good?"

Vaurien smiled "I never brought a girl presents before….what do girls want?"

Tanith smiled "Not wanting to take advantage or anything, but im sure you'll get the hang of things after living with me for a few days."

The train jolted and everyone leaned right at the same time, it made Vaurien snigger.

"Like sexy underwear?" Vaurien suggested innocently.

A man opposite smiled.

And Tanith went bright red and started at her shoes.

"Stop talking" she told him.

He nodded and spent the remaining journey looking out of the blurry window, watching the bricks of the tunnel flying past his eyes.

Getting off the train was worse than getting on… And lugging a large bag on your shoulder made it practically impossible to move. As Vaurien leapt off the train he looked around him panicking, he'd already lost Tanith within the first three seconds. Heads, thousands of heads, talking, laughing, kissing, yelling, where the hell was she? He felt a hand grab his elbow and Tanith squeezed through two jolly fat men talking to each other.

"Right here sweetie" she gasped and tried to lead him through the crowd.

She frowned and made her face look as angry as possible and then barged through the crowd almost parting a direct stream to freedom. As they burst through the last huddle of people she smiled, wiping the angry face right off.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

Tanith tapped her nose with her index finger "you learn from the best sweetie, look angry and people just jump out your way." Tanith winked jokingly and started to walk on.

Vaurien puffed out his cheeks with admiration; she was one heck of a woman.

He jogged after her, trying his very best to keep up.

For an average height woman, she sure did move her legs fast.

"How far is your apartment?" he asked, panting and speed walking beside her.

"Meh, only a few miles, but we'll take a taxi so it's fine." She got to the first staircase and went up it like a bullet.

Vaurien's jaw dropped and he plodded miserably after her.

Each step was painful.

Tanith turned around at the top and stood with her hands on her hips.

"Do you want to get out of here? Or shall we walk at your pace and be about thirty years?"

Vaurien put a hand up as he reached the top and squatted over to catch his breath.

A woman walked past carrying a baby and smiled at Tanith "Husbands exactly the same" the woman said, Tanith laughed and nodded as the woman walked off.

"H-hold on" Vaurien panted "did she think we were together?" Vaurien rose an eyebrow smiling and Tanith grunted and walked off with her insanely fast pace.

"WAIT!" he yelled and waddled after her clutching onto his chest begging for fresh air.

"You're so unhealthy" Tanith laughed.

"All the best people are" he panted.

After a lifetime of running through the underground Vaurien laughed as he saw the late afternoon sunlight in an opening up ahead.

"LIGHT" he smiled.

"Ok, now just a little more walking and you can sit that chubby booty of yours down on a nice comfy taxi? How about that?" she sniggered.

"That sounds like bliss" he laughed pulling up his dark black trench coat to keep his body warm.

Tanith would never admit it in a million years, but the man knew how to dress himself that's for sure.

They walked into the bustling street of London and the grand, towering buildings stood over them like mountains. Vaurien's breath came out in small puffs of steam and his face had turned a beautiful pale white in the daylight.

Tanith hated it, but he wasn't such a bad looker either…and he had really REALLY nice hair.

Tanith waved a hand at a passing taxi and it pulled up on the side of the road, indicating that Vaurien could finally sit down.

He opened the door to the Taxi whilst he faked crying with joy.

He climbed into the seat on the far end and Tanith left the one empty in between them.

"Who's this then Tanith?" said the man in the front.

"My name is Vaurien….hi" he waved and then clicked his seatbelt in.

The man in the front sniggered "he's a bit weedy for one of your boyfriends isn't he?"

Tanith almost choked on air and spluttered out her words in the fastest biggest jumble she could conjure up.

"He's not- why would you even think that he was- he's not my boyfriend- were just friends- kind of- acquaintances maybe? I don't know" she clicked her seatbelt in and the man in the front already knew where he was going.

"Are you a regular in this taxi?" Vaurien asked trying to break the awkwardness.

"Every taxi actually, im known by name in pretty much every part of London." Tanith smiled.

The taxi pulled off the curb and started to drive down the road.

Vaurien smiled at Tanith and she cocked her head to the side.

"What is it?" she said.

"Thanks again… it feels safer out here… I mean there's a lower chance anyone will find me out here right? And none of this faceless one crap'll mean anything to us at the moment."

She nodded "Yep, im pretty sure you're nice and isolated out here" she giggled playfully punching his arm. He gripped it smiling and then his smile turned queasy "Owww…." He said.

"Oh come on? That can't hurt? It wasn't even that hard"

The man in the front of the car swore under his breath

"Damn you lot talk funny" the man said.

"You getta lot of weird people in this car?" Vaurien asked.

"Oh yeah she bring loads of you weird Irish folk along- the one with that appalling head injury is the scariest."

Vaurien's lungs found it hard to take in air.

"Ghastly" Tanith said softly.

"That's the one" the man said.

"Right, the guy at the house…" Vaurien said.

He looked out the window as he felt his heart throbbing.

He felt a little ill and his head was pulsing slightly.

The rest of the car journey was spent in silence.

Vaurien hadn't even realised how quickly it all went, he was sort of stuck in a trance, just watching the world blur past him without a specific thought stuck in his mind.

The car jolted and Tanith tapped his arm.

"Were here" she said.

He jerked back to life and noticed the sky was already going darkish- he hated how short the daylight was in winter. They climbed out the car and Tanith flipped a £20 note through the window the man caught it without even looking up.

"There she is" Tanith smiled.

Vaurien looked up and smirked 'of course' he thought.

Above a busy London suburb stood a tall elegant building, at the very very top was Tanith's apartment, the reception hall was white and beautiful and the wallpaper was beautifully decorated. She lived in her own little palace, it was Tanith after all.

"You comin' in, or you jus gunna stare at my house all day?" she smiled; Vaurien shuffled his bag on his shoulder and followed her inside. The whole thing was bright and beautiful, the receptionist lady looked immaculate and her whole head looked plastic it was so perfect.

"Hi" Vaurien smirked raising a hand in greeting. Tanith dragged him into the elevator and he almost fell over. The doors started closing.

"Eyes" she said to him as he found himself staring at the giggling receptionist.

"OH come on!" Vaurien yelped as the doors closed "why can't I look at some ladies? You look at men all the time? Like what's his name….gruesome or something …."

Tanith looked at him viciously "You said that purposely…his names ghastly and I don't look at him…."

She spat.

"The guy in the taxi seemed to think you do…"

"Well I don't"

"I don't believe you."

"Fine"

"Fine"

"Why would you care anyway?"

"I don't"

"Exactly so don't go on about it!"

"But I want to"

"Well I told you not to."

"She was pretty"

"She'll break your heart- she's a slag"

"Right now I could use a slag"

"You're disgusting"

"Spend your life as a lonely bachelor and you'd understand"

The elevator doors opened into Tanith's hallway.

"Put your stuff on the sofa"

"Wait…you said you had a spare room?"

"I do but you've pissed me off….so you're sleeping on the sofa now…"

"Uurhhhh- thanks"

"You're welcome."

They walked into her house and the whole place smelt beautiful- it looked it too. The whole thing was modern and sleek- almost as wonderful as her.

Vaurien walked towards the large deep black sofa and went to sling his bag onto it.

"Not that one" she snapped

"why not?" he asked

"That's my favourite one….sleep on the white one…that's where we the cat sleeps sometimes."

"Ah, I hate cats…"

"Im sure you'll get on just fine."

Tanith rolled up her sleeves and sighed.

"Night" she said angrily.

Vaurien rolled his eyes. "It's like Six?" he said

She stared at him bitterly.

"Look Tanith, im being a pain in the ass, im sorry."

She kept her back turned but sighed.

"It's ok." She replied.

He placed the bag off his back and onto the white sofa and went up towards her.

He span her round and wrapped his hands around her back.

"Thank you" he said.

Her pupils dilated and she placed a single hand on his back awkwardly. He smelt like cherries.

"It's ok, seriously" she said again. He let go of her and she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Right well….you can watch TV and unpack…I'll get the spare room fitted out for you."

"I thought I was on the sofa?" he said

"I changed my mind" she smiled and walked away and went into the spare room closing the door behind her.

She raised her eyebrows and shook her head silently laughing to herself, wow that was embarrassing… she threw a couple of pillows onto the spare bed and tried to make the room look as appealing as possible. The covers of the bed felt soft in her hands and she smoothed out the creases on the bed. After about ten minutes the bedroom looked reasonable and she opened the door to the living room. The TV was on and was playing an old episode of friends, She walked forward looking at the TV "Vaurien" she said.

No one replied.

"Vaurien?" she peered over the side of the sofa and the man was curled up into a ball snoring like a baby.

She smiled and leaned over the top of him, watching his little face, contented and peaceful with sleep.

She smiled and reached for the remote in his hands, she switched the power button and he was left in a dark, silence.

He shuffled then said her name in his sleep and she looked at him smirking.

"Sweet dreams sweetie" she whispered and gave him a little kiss on his temple.

She backed away quickly, shocked and ashamed at what she'd done and walked off to bed as quickly as possible. Her bedroom door made a little clicking noise as it shut and in the darkness Vaurien smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

Vaurien looked at himself. He was bleeding badly onto the white sofa in Tanith's home.

He swore under his breath and undid his shirt; his fingers couldn't undo the buttons quick enough. The black veins on his chest where blue in the morning light and he gritted his teeth as he saw the blood seeping out through his skin…like….like he was leaking.

He sat up and saw the pool of his own blood dripping down the sofa.

"TANITH!" he yelled, the fear in his voice making him shake.

"TANITH!" he screamed again.

She came charging out her room, wrapping a dressing gown around her and failing to tie it in time.

"Oh god" she breathed and came running towards him.

"What the hell happened?" she screeched trying to find where the blood was coming from.

"I DON'T KNOW!" he yelled and tried to pull off his shirt completely.

Tanith looked at the six pack forming from under the fabric.

She raised her eyebrows a little.

"How the hell did you manage to get that?" she said pressing her hands and applying pressure to the wound.

"WHAT!" he screeched "YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT NOW? I- IM FRICKING BLEEDING TO DEATH AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT MY ABS?"

She shook her head and tried to calm him down "Trying to keep you calm sweetie, obviously not working…"

He almost laughed "NOT WORKING? WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE CALM NOW!"

She tried to keep him from blabbering but the man was turning paler and paler by the second until Tanith couldn't hold it anymore.

"SHUT UP!" she roared "JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"

His lip quivered and he fell silent.

"Look just let me fix this ok? Stay still and stop yelling" she took hold of his hands and forced him to press onto his chest.

"Keep pressure on that, I'll be back in like a second" She left the startled man and walked to get the medical kit in her kitchen. Reaching on tip toes for the highest shelf in the room she returned to him, jogging slightly with a first aid bag.

"Ok I got…." She almost fell backwards.

Vaurien was laughing as he held his beating heart in his right hand.

"OH MY GOD!" he smiled. "I'M INVINCIBLE!"

She gagged and had to look away.

"H-how did that….happen?" she swallowed down the taste of vomit.

"I dunno' it just kinda….fell out?" he laughed.

"This is disgusting." She tried to peep at it through her fingers but it just made her feel ill.

"Hey maybe this faceless one gift wasn't such a bad thing?" he sniggered.

"CAN YOU PUT IT BACK?" she snapped shutting her eyes tightly.

Vaurien pondered for a moment looking at the bloody lump in his hand.

"Yeah I think so? Which ones my right lung?"

That blew it for Tanith, she ran to the bathroom and hurled.

"'Nice'" Vaurien scowled.

He aimed the beating thing into his chest and fumbled around in there for a second until it felt about right.

"It's done!" he called, and inspected his insides from the gaping hole in his chest.

She wobbled out holding her forehead and she looked awful.

"Ewww…you look terrible" Vaurien smiled.

"Not so bad yourself…." She sighed and tumbled over towards him.

She reached for an ointment in a lavender bottle and sqeezed her eyes to narrow little slits.

"Ok this might hurt a bit…" she placed the cream around the edges of the hole in his chest and he laughed.

"Hurt? I don't feel anything? Im fine actually, never been bette….ARRGGHHHH!" he tumbled onto the floor clawing his nails into the sofa.

"Yeah it stings a little" Tanith said, opening her eyes a little.

He was rolling around the floor yelling rude words at a pillow.

"AWWWW- F! king BARGH! w !Ker! URGH!"

She smiled a little at his reaction and waited patiently until it was over.

By the end of it, a fresh layer of skin had covered his chest and left a very faint scar in its place.

"Better?" she smiled sweetly.

"What day is it?" he groaned.

"It's a Friday" she smirked

"I HATE FRIDAYS…." He rolled onto his face and she laughed.

"Are you going to buy me a new sofa for Christmas? Val needs a table as well? What are you up too? Are you sneakily trying to destroy all furniture and become like the vandalize'er supreme or something?"

Vaurien laughed and looked into her eyes…

"Don't dis the killer supreme!" he sniggered and then she cracked up.

They sat laughing as if the whole horrific morning hadn't happened.

He looked at his blood stained shirt.

"Any chance you have a spare or am I going shirtless for the whole day."

She smiled at the six pack again.

"Well that wouldn't be 'such' a bad thing" she winked and he blushed rapidly.

As she realised he was genuinely embarrassed she stood up and went to the cupboard by the front door.

"Im was joking" she smiled and pulled out a Check shirt that looked pretty expensive.

"This was ghastley's I think?" she threw it over to him and he rubbed it between his fingers.

"So…you and ghastly…is there anything…going on between you guys?" he twirled his thumbs and looked at the floor.

Tanith laughed dramatically "NO!" she giggled "No way! Me and him are just friends!" she shook her head and smiled at him he lips parting slightly.

"Why are you so nervous? Like all the time?" she leaned against a wall and he stammered for an answer.

"I guess its cuz' you're a girl….you see im not a massive hit with the ladies…"

She held in a snort.

"Seriously? With a body like that? You must've had a girlfriend before."

Vaurien laughed worriedly.

Her mouth dropped a little.

"Ninety six and no girlfriend? What never?" she folded her arms across her chest.

"Ohhh…." She said "Bat for both sides right?"

Vaurien looked at her confused and then registered her words.

"OH MY GOD NO!" he screamed "No… no im straight!"

She smiled "And in ninety six years you've never had a girlfriend?"

He bit his lip "I've never even hugged a girl before…." He put a hand on his face and dragged down his cheek anxiously.

Tanith started to get a little more serious with him "Have you ever fancied a girl?"

Vaurien sighed " Thousands…." He moaned.

"And you've never asked anyone out?" she started to walk towards him slowly and sat with him on the floor, avoiding the bloody sofa cautiously.

"No…" he said "I don't feel well actually maybe we shouldn't talk about this…"

"Hey" Tanith said forcing him to look up slightly.

"We're gunna' find you a girlfriend by Christmas if it's the last thing we do! Ok?" she put a hand on his bare shoulder and he smiled. "Stand up" she said, they both got to their feet.

"Ok" he laughed "What do I do?"

"From the beginning?" she started to snort with laughter.

"Yeah…begging sounds good"

"ok…well…you gotta' be cool about this stuff, no nerves ok? You gotta' tell yourself you're brilliant."

"ok…im brilliant…so what do I say?"

"Well you go up to a girl and you tell her how she looks or something….god its been long for me too…hold on one sec"

He laughed and tried to act all saucy as he put on his new shirt.

"Why hello there beautiful, how are you doin?" he clicked his fingers at Tanith and she rolled her eyes smiling.

"Ok, you might get her to acknowledge you if you do that….maybe try it a little more….IRSIH…girls dig Irish guys…maybe even act a little shy- not 'you' shy….but shy?"

He nodded confused and went back into character.

"Hi…there" he said ruffling his hair "So…I know this is a little embarrassing…but can I get you a drink or something?"

"Yes!" Tanith laughed "Good!"

Vaurien smiled "so what do I do after that? If she says yes an all…"

"I don't know….get to know her first… then if the night goes well…a kiss."

"Kiss?" Vaurien sighed "I CANT KISS A GIRL! I'll mess it up…"

"Don't make it weird ok? If you like her it'll be easy!"

"Easy? But I've never kissed anyone!"

"It'll be fine! So if you kiss her, you'll most likely get her number, from there just call her and Snap! You gotta girlfriend."

Vaurien nodded understandingly.

"So if I really love this girl….should I tell her?"

Tanith gritted her teeth "It depends…if she likes you enough then go for it…"

"What if she doesn't love me?" he said.

"Well…..at least you tried right?"

"So sometimes….being romantic is cute?" he grumbled.

"It really depends on who she is…"

"What time is it?" he asked.

"About…11ish…why?"

"I think I know someone I could ask? She was an old friend…."

Tanith laughed "Go for it!"

"Should I say exactly what I think of her?"

"YES!" she laughed.

"Really? It's not too early?"

"Do it Vaurien! You'll regret it forever if you don't, I mean come on you've already lost your heart this morning what can be worse than that?" she smiled.

"Ok…" he said "Im gunna do it Tanith…I will…."

She nodded. They both fell silent.

"So who is it?" she rasped up.

Without warning. Without words. His lips were on hers. His hands were wrapped around her body and she was too shocked to do anything about it.

His grasp on her was tight and his mouth was soft and perfect to touch.

As their lips broke she panted wildly.

"oh…" she spoke softly and her voice couldn't get any louder.

"Tanith…I've never been in love…but if this is what it feels like then I've never wanted to be in love with anyone more than you…I know im an idiot and a loser … and I know your way out of my league…. But….Tanith Low…..I am in love with you."

Tanith's throat closed up. His eyes glistened in the brief slit of light coming through the window. His dark red hair matched the blood on the sofa. Her heart longed to say something but her brain refused her the privilege of speaking. He started to let her out of his grip and she scrambled away shaking her head.

"I….i…" she shook her head.

"Look…please…you don't understand how much you mean to me…I really really…'love'…you"

"Oh god Vaurien" she shook her head again, this time with more force.

"No please! PLEASE listen to me! Please…I know im not the easiest guy to get along with…but for the time I've known you let me promise you this…I would go to the end of the world and back for you!"

"Vaurien this…this is a bit full on for me…come on I've only just started talking to you… cant you just be normal…"

Vaurien gritted his teeth "BUT IM NOT NORMAL…you of all people should know that…look please…if you don't have feelings for me- please tell me…"

"No! I just feel so constricted and choked thanks to you! Jus- you need to let me breathe.

Anger coiled inside of Vaurien's belly.

"That didn't answer my question! I know im probably the only man stupid enough to tell you the truth- but there are only two ways you can answer my question- do simple little words Tanith- do you love me?"

"I don't know…you can't force me to choose!"

"Yes…yes I can! If you don't say then im leaving- if you do love me you wouldn't let me leave now would you- answer my question."

Tanith clung onto her chest "VAURIEN DON'T DO THIS! I CANT BREATHE!"

Vaurien clenched his fist "TANITH! JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

"NO!" she screamed "I CANT!"

Vaurien grabbed her collar and forced her to look at him, he was panicking

"JUST FUCKING TELL ME!" he yelled.

Tanith slapped him hard and then staggered back her eyes full of tears.

Vaurien held his cheek, his mouth open.

"oh my god Tanith…i-i-im sorry…look I just really needed to know…it was killing me Tanith…"

"Please don't" she cried and collapsed onto the floor putting her head between her knees and weeping.

His heart broke.

He crouched next to her and started to cry himself.

"i…I don't want to make you cry…" he stroked her golden curls and sighed "Sweetheart please, you don't have to say anything…but…but a tap or a punch to say you love me…anything….please" he said weakly.

She sobbed brutally and slumped her head angrily on his shoulder.

He sat on the floor and her weeping head fell onto his lap.

They didn't speak…he just sat and listened to the woman he loved crying on his jeans.

"I…I love you" she said through a blocked throat…it sounded raw and painful…but she said it.

He kissed her ear and they sat in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

*So sorry for how slow I've been…:-p Schools a nightmare….HUGE Thank you to Aviatress for helping me with the banter as always! ;-D OH and there's only one tiny spoiler that Billy ray sanguine nearly dies but that's ok because it's in the 3rd book!*

Meanwhile at Gordon Edgely's estate…..

Billy ray sanguine rolled up his sleeves and adjusted his glasses on his face. Valkyrie and Skulduggery were tied to chairs in the middle of the living room and were circled in a ring of around 14 other men. Valkyrie wondered when she'd next see him… she'd thought she had killed him when she slit his stomach open.

She kind of wished she had now…

Billy Ray unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white cotton shirt and he smiled, turning his attention to Valkyrie.

"Ahhh-kay now Y'all….let's try keep this calm now…Naw where'd we find this 'Vaurien Scapegrace' My boss is real desperate to find 'him yet we jus' can't find where he is? Any clue doll face, you gunna' talk to me?"

Valkyrie snarled "How about…go away?"

Billy Ray sniggered "Im afraid Sweetie can't go anywhere till I get what I need! Gunna' cough up any places before I make you?" He laughed cruelly.

Valkyrie pretended to think "I don't think so…. I don't feel ill so the chances of me coughing anything up are slim…"

Sanguine Smirked and grabbed her cheeks in his hands…

"You're one funny kid, didya mommy ever tell you that? What about you skeleton? Cmon' not like this Scapegrace fellow is important to you naw is it?"

Skulduggery's hands tightened.

"Nope, we just like messing with you. It is hysterical"

As sanguine stood and opened his mouth to yell Valkyrie pulled her hands tightly from the bond and pulled her wrist into freedom behind her back.

She breathed a small gasp of relief and Sanguine glared at her.

"It won't be very hysterical for much longer…"

He pulled off his glasses and put them into his jacket pocket.

His deep black holes glared at them angrily his eyebrows keeping a low guard on his brow.

"Hope you aren't a squealer… once im done with you… you won't be able ta' scream no more… There's no escape now honey pie…Spill the beans"

Sanguine started to re-advance back onto her and he slipped out his straight blade.

Valkyrie spent a few seconds looking scared and as he got close enough she hurled a fire ball at his chest.

He screamed flapping around like a bird and tearing his shirt off in shreds.

The men around them leapt at Skulduggery as he lunged to protect Val.

Sanguine stands bare chested in the centre of the chaos and his knuckles turn white as he tightens his hand on the blade.

"I di'nt want to be aggressive little doll…But you just pissed me off…big time"

He leapt at her slashing his arm for her face and she ducked and dodges out the way.

She flexed her hand and frantically sent the air to disarm the blade from his grip.

It skidded a few meters across the floor and as his face follows it she punches his hard in the face. She runs to help skulduggery.

Sanguine touched his lip tentatively and its bleeding. He screams and leaps onto Valkyrie pulling her onto the floor by her hair and hitting her hard in the spine. His fury was driving him wild and he reached over her head for his razor.

Valkyrie didn't have time to consider she reached to the cold fire poker next to her and tried to gouge into the neat stitching crossing his belly.

With all her strength she viciously stabbed into him… he screamed in agony and she saw blood appear- his limp screaming body fell on top of her and with weak anger he tries to punch her in the face.

Skulduggery pulls him off her and throws him into the nearest wall.

Valkyrie gets to her feet and stays close to skulduggery's side looking at the countless bodies lying on the floor.

Billy Ray sanguine clutched his stomach and moaned miserably "Oh…kay…"

He cried.

"St…op….stop please" he wiped blood onto his sweaty brow…

"I'll go…..im going" He limply started to drag his body across the floor.

Skulduggery stuck out a hand and Sanguine looked at him venomously.

"What? Gentlemen do it."

Valkyrie tried to stop herself from smiling.

"Are you taking it or not? You're making a mess on the floor."

Sanguine cries and lets the skeleton pull him to his feet. He wobbled for a few moments then scowled at him.

"Im going to make you pay…both of you…when I find the scapegrace…you'll be sorry"

He tries to go through the wall but he screams as his stomach starts to throb… he angrily stumbles to the door and his face goes red.

"How much do we need to pay? I only have a fiver?" Valkyrie smiled.

"He swears under his breath and the door slammed aggressively.

"We need a doorbell" Skulduggery said.

"And a table" She added.

"And a few police cars…" Skulduggery looked at the pile of bodies.

"Do you think he'll find Vaurien?" Valkyrie asked.

Skulduggery shook his head "Vaurien? Not a chance…"

Valkyrie's mouth slanted "why are you so sure?"

"He's with Tanith Valkyrie…there's no way they can touch him….especially if he's with Tanith"

Valkyrie looked at skulduggery and they laughed.


	9. Chapter 9

_**The sky was dark and made the air feel thick and unwelcoming.**_

_**Billy Ray Sanguine shuffled through the streets clutching his stomach from the wound made earlier. **_

_**The occasional beam from a streetlight made him flinch, he was almost too paranoid, it made things seem even darker and colder.**_

_**The gravel under his boots crackled as he dragged his heels over the pavement.**_

_**His breath was puffing into sharp violent clouds of smoke and he felt the sting of a man's presence appear behind his back.**_

_**He shivered and bowed his head to the floor.**_

"_**Sir" he panted.**_

"_**Where is he" The man's voice was cold and unloving- thoughtless and yet genius.**_

_**Sanguine swallowed as six bone white fingers closed on his shoulder.**_

"_**Im c-close sir. Im real close! J-just a few more days and he'll be yours"**_

_**The man yet out a long unsatisfied moan.**_

"_**I thought you were better than this, I'd heard so much more…"**_

_**Sanguine laughed fearfully.**_

"_**I can sir, you know I can"**_

_**The man snorted "No…'unfortunately'…I don't"**_

_**The blade went slicing through his back and came out the front end of Sanguine's body.**_

_**Sanguine tried to scream but no sound appeared, his body wavered and he clutched his shirt to try and release some of the Heap of pain he was suffering. **_

_**The man didn't even look down as Sanguine fell to his knees.**_

"_**Pathetic" the man said and pulled the sword out of the body.**_

_**With that the man was gone and sanguine fell to the pavement in a little stream of his own blood trickling down the pavement and dribbling into the gutter.**_

_**The pain was too extreme and too real to cry so he just lay…and waited in the cold unfair darkness for his death to take him away.**_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Remulous Havoc.

Skulduggery turned the page in his book and Valkyrie laughed at the TV.

He glanced up to see what was so funny but got confused and went back to his book.

"This is terrible" he said after a few moments of silence.

Valkyrie looked at him angrily with a pringle half eaten in her mouth.

"What? You can't say that! You don't watch TV"

Skulduggery snorted

"Firstly, yes I most certainly do! And secondly finish swallowing before you talk…its revolting."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and swallowed "So what do you watch then?"

"Drama's" Skulduggery said innocently.

Valkyrie smiled "What like Sherlock?"

"Hmm? Oh yes…The famous 'detective'? Pfft…hardly…if we met I bet I could I beat him intellectually within a few minutes."

Valkyrie laughed "Really? He's pretty famous at being the world's most intelligent man?"

"Second, my dear Valkyrie, to myself of course…. It goes me, him, Einstein…"

Valkyrie shook her head laughing.

"You can't be that sure! You haven't even met him!"

Skulduggery pondered. "You're right! It should go- me, EINSTEIN, Sherlock Holmes… that makes more sense…"

Valkyrie laughed and went to make a witty remark- Skulduggery's phone buzzed.

He scrambled to pick it up but found it surprisingly difficult to find it within his jacket pocket.

He held it in his hand proudly and typed in the passcode.

On the screen it read.

_**One New message (1):**_

_**From: China Sorrows**_

_**Skulduggery, we need you right now, this is IMPORTANT! Be at the cinema in 10 minutes WITH VALKYRIE and no one else. **_

_**Do NOT BE LATE.**_

_**China.**_

Skulduggery slid the phone back into his jacket silently.

"What's wrong?" Valkyrie asked.

He shook his head as if lost in thought.

"China needs us - it's important- let's go." He stood quickly and he ran out of the room grabbing his coat off the banisters on his way.

Valkyrie sprinted after him, grabbing hers too.

He pelted from staircase to door to front porch in a matter of seconds and Valkyrie sighed behind him.

"The Bentley" he yelled hopping into the front seat.

The engine roared to life and the headlights blared at the side of her uncle's house.

Valkyrie locked the door panicking and ran to join him in the other front seat.

As soon as the car doors shut the car was pulling backwards across the gravely driveway and was speeding down the road like a madman.

"Must be really important right?" Valkyrie said clicking her seatbelt into position.

"It better be, we have 9 minutes to get there…"

Valkyrie looked at the clock in the car- it was Ten to eleven- the moon was screaming at her from above them saying she should be asleep.

"Where are we going" She said.

"Kenspeckle…and china… I don't know what this is about."

Skulduggery's phone buzzed again and he looked at Valkyrie worriedly.

"GET IT! What does it day! HURRY!"

She lunged for his pocket rummaging around for it… She pulled it out and typed in the passcode.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY PASSCODE?!"

Valkyrie smiled as she clicked onto the new message "Me! Then you, Einstein then Sherlock Holmes."

Skulduggery laughed sarcastically.

And Valkyrie read the message out loud.

_**One new message (1):**_

_**From: China Sorrows**_

_**His name is Billy Ray, From Texas im guessing, not sure how long he's got- HURRY UP!**_

"Sanguine?" Valkyrie stated.

Skulduggery nodded "We better hurry up" he said.

Valkyrie looked at the speed dial in the Bentley…they were already breaking the law… 70mph on a 40mph road…

"Skulduggery im not sure we should…" She was too late.

Skulduggery put all his weight down on the accelerator and Valkyrie closed her eyes.

"IM GOING TO DIE ,IM GOING TO DIE! IMMM GOOING TOO DIIEE!"

Skulduggery laughed and went faster.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11- Remulous Havoc #2**

The cinema was as cold and abandoned as always. As they approached the large red curtains drew and china came running out to meet them. Her hair was coiled down her shoulders in dark seducing curls and Valkyrie had to look away to stop herself from staring.

"Skulduggery" she sighed "Thank god"

He came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She cocked her head "Follow" she said.

As they walked through the doors the sound of machinery beeped and whirred in their surroundings.

"Billy Ray sanguine…" she said "I was meeting an old friend, who just so happened to find him lying in the street with half his blood running down the road."

"Was he alive?" Skulduggery asked.

"Just" she said "I managed to keep him breathing until we reached Kenspeckle."

Skulduggery nodded as they speed walked around a corner.

"Why bother?" He asked innocently.

Valkyries gut twirled at the lack of sympathy in his voice.

"He said something about you as we were bringing him here…something about his 'plan to kill someone' at first I found it amusing…until he started to mention the faceless ones…then I got angry." She knocked on a door and heard Kenspeckle yelling in the distance.

"He's trying to find Vaurien Scapegrace for some reason…I was wondering if you'd like to find out why?"

Skulduggery laughed. "Of course my dear Miss sorrows…now where's our patient."

Kenspeckle Grouse opened the door angrily, as if on cue, but relaxed a little when he saw Valkyrie.

"What do you want?" He asked.

Skulduggery opened his jaw to speak but China silenced him.

"We're here to see Mr Billy Ray Sanguine? I brought him here about an hour ago…"

Kenspeckle nodded "Ah, yes of course, Oh but, He's on life support at the moment I don't want any violence right now Mr pleasant? Is that an agreement?"

Skulduggery nodded and they were brought into a large room to the corner of the building.

The light was warm, orange and peaceful but the scene in the centre of it was not at all calming in any way possible.

Bags of blood were hooked up into machines that were hooked up into Sanguine's body. His face was grey and bloodless and the skin around his eyes was a deep purple.

He flinched at their arrival and his eyelids opened revealing the eyeless sockets in his face.

He groaned.

"Hey Doll face" He said weakly trying to smile

"Jus' can't get ridda' me hey?" He coughed aggressively into the air.

Valkyrie's mouth twitched into a sort of pathetic smile "Unfortunately not"

"Sanguine, im not here to chat, you may have initially guessed that, but to the point- lets get down to business- China saved you're life am I right?"

He grunted.

"You owe us and what better a time to fulfil that debt by telling us information. As you put it earlier: let's 'spill the beans'"

His smile melted a little bit and he swallowed awkwardly.

"Yeah well she mighta' helped me…a little…bit…But Y'all don't expect me to tell you anything now do ya?"

The heart rate monitor beeped steadily.

"That would mean that we are here for no reason. Tell us…or" He looks at Valkyrie

"Option 4?" she remarked.

"Well it wouldn't work as well…but the results would be hysterical."

As Sanguine tried to laugh his stomach throbbed wildly and his voice turned into a raspy squeak.

"You Cain't torture me…you folks wouldn't cope…you couldn't… So why'd I have to owe you anything…The sorrows gal…she never told me saving my life was a bargain?"

"Im saying it now" She said sweetly.

Valkyrie rolled up a sleeve.

"We didn't kill you back at my uncles house…we wanted too but we didn't"

"Really wanted to." Skulduggery threw in. "Look you're a mess right now sanguine and I doubt your daddy would like to find out about you're failure?"

Sanguine's breath suddenly sounded rusty and sore.

"No- no wait" He coughed Up phlegm "Don't…you don't have to tell him…I'll tell you anything…most things…" He clutched his neck with one weak hand.

"Hey, does this place have water? Im parched lil love?" he looked at Valkyrie.

"Little love?" Valkyrie repeated mockingly "Uh, Kenspeckle left some for you" She reaches to the bed stand and passes it to him; he grips it weakly with his frail, bony hands.

"You're avoiding the question" skulduggery said "what can you tell us? Who do you work for?"

Sanguine sniffed innocently "Can you put on my glasses? I feel naked without them…Oh and I can't drink this by myself….help me first then I'll talk."

Valkyries mouth dropped slightly.

"My muscles hurt…" he said "Help me drink please…"

Skulduggery looked at Val expectantly.

"No" she said abruptly

Skulduggery nodded

"NO WAY!" she said

"I'll get you a better Christmas present this year…better than a stick anyway…" he sniggered.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and put Sanguine's sunglasses on his eyes, she lifted the cup for him and tilted it until it had gone empty.

Skulduggery waited patiently and examined around the room looking at weird and confusing little contraptions.

"Talk" Valkyrie said as she pulled away and crumpled the plastic cup in her hand.

He sniggers at her embarrassment and lays his head back deep into his two thick pillows.

"His name is Havoc…Remulous Havoc…Y'all know him when you meet him… dead white…creepy as hell...He's into all this faceless one crap…but he's a deep man… Deep into this messed up shit… This Urm…'Scapegrace' dude…he's….i….i….no I really can't say man…I aint risking nothin' I aint allowed"

Valkyrie sighed "Anything else?"

"What's so special about scapegrace?" Skulduggery said.

Sanguines belly started to sting again and he moaned.

"I…I dunno…something about…some other man…bigger…scarier…I dun'no…I don't think I know it all… Havoc'll kill me…. When he finds out im alive…im dead…"

"Have fun with that predicament" Skulduggery said.

Valkyrie plastered a fake smile on her face before turning on her heel and heading for the door.

"WAIT!" he yelled under a croaky throat " g-guys! W-when I recover…Im under sanctuary protection right? Y'all wudn' jus leave me?"

The three of them left without another word.

Valkyrie popped her head around the door "Sorry about that…"

With that they were gone.

Sanguine swore under his breath.

"Of course" he sighed "Why'd I expect anything else."

He raised his voice as loud as he could hoping to attract some attention to himself.

"NOT LIKE U IDIOTS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO SCAPEY NEXT WEEK!" He laughed evilly.

Valkyrie comes sprinting back into the room and feircley grabs him by the collar pulling his out of bed a little bit.

"TELL ME! OR I WILL MAKE SURE YOURE TORTURE WILL BE EXCRUCIATING."

Sanguine whimpered not sure whether to laugh or scream.

"P-P-PUT M-Me down right now! ….MY…SHIT!" He screamed "IT HURTS LITTLE LADY! P-put me down!"

"ILL TELL YOU! p-put me down!" he squeals his voice croaky from pain

Valkyrie yanked his collar harder pulling him even further off the pillow.

"The quicker you tell me, the quicker the pain stops."

Sanguine screamed if he'd of had eyes they would have been watering.

"ITS IN HIS BLOOD!" He screamed "THE DISEASE IS IN HIS BLOOD" HE'LL KILL US ALL!" He bit his lip in agony " PLEASE…ple…assseee…." He gasps for air "IT HURTS….It hurts so so bad…"

Valkyrie dropped his back onto his pillow "Speak now"

Sanguine shuts his 'eyes' panting and holding his chest…he groans and tries to catch his breath.

"Ok…h…havoc….he…he said that…Fallonia…s… she had this curse or some'in…he'd been searching for her for a long time…Its been passed I think…from her to him and…it only happens once a month…big thing…dark and evil…Scapegrace….he can destroy cities…c-countries…he has to be killed…or Havoc'll get'im first…"

Sanguine groaned…."Where's Doc…I need morphine…"

Skulduggery appeared from the doorway with China and Kenspeckle following.

"Thank you for your co-operation" Skulduggery said and Kenspeckle came over to help his whinging patient.

China, Valkyrie and skulduggery walked outside into the corridor.

"We won't kill scapegrace right?" Valkyrie said.

"What's it to you?" China sniggered.

"The mans to innocent to die…he'd never admit it…but he's the softest guy I've ever met…he doesn't deserve to be murdered…even…if he is…'cursed' or whatever"

Skulduggery sniggered "Hmph…I hope you're not getting a soft side for the idiot…"

"Course not…" Valkyrie lied…"Of course not…"

Meanwhile Kenspeckle looked at sanguine angrily.

"Why did you pull out you plugs? Ow look what you've done now! Made a mess everywhere…" He grumbled.

"NO! it was the girl! The lil devil! She did this!"

Kenspeckle grunted "Of course she did?!" he laughed "you're so twisted" he shook his head disappointed. "She's only a young innocent girl"

Sanguine snarled.

"Don't you snarl at me young man! Or no medicine for you!"

Sanguine's pride vanished immediately and he bowed his head furiously.

"IM SORRY" he said through gritted teeth.

"There" Kenspeckle said smugly… "That wasn't so hard now was it?"


	12. Chapter 12

**(A HUGE THANKS TO AVIATRESS AND CLARISSA FOR GENERAL SUPPORT AND IDEAS FOR EVERYTHINGI WRITE! You guys are so brilliant ;-D Happy Christmas everyone and a happy new yearXxx)**

Vaurien pulled his hair over a little in the hallway mirror and checked that no food was stuck in his teeth. He held the flowers in one hand and with the other he straightened his collar out. He looked ok…it'd have to do.

The cold night air smell clung to his skin but he hoped the house would warm him up before she saw him.

He crept through her living room and heard her cough from the bathroom- he smiled to himself and shuffled silently towards the door.

His hand curled around the handle and he burst through with the flowers in his hands.

"HAPPY ONE DAY ANNIVERSERY!"

His smile dropped as the shampoo bottle went flying towards his head-

"OH CRAP" he screamed and pulled the door too "Im so so sorry! I didn't know you were naked!"

He heard a furious scream and just sank down a little, backing away very cautiously.…

"Idiot" he sighed "Im such an idiot…"

She burst out wrapped in a towel her hair dripping water onto the wooden floor.

"Ever heard of knocking?!" she hissed.

He pouted sadly "I love you" he sniffed.

She looked at him venomously but after a moment the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"You're not so bad yourself…" she smiled.

He beamed and pulled the flowers into the open.

"I got these for you" He smirked.

"I know…I saw them as you lunged on me getting out the shower…" she laughed a little "Thank you"

Vaurien itched the corner of his mouth nervously.

"Sorry…im not so good at all this- 'swanky sexy boyfriend thing' I…I haven't dated anyone since year six…she was fat and had glasses…she told me I was too bad for her… Her name was Gwenith and she played unicorns by herself."

Tanith clutched her stomach laughing so hard that a tear came into her eye.

"No girlfriend for that long? But you're beautiful!" she giggled.

Vaurien put the flowers on the side table and walked towards Tanith smiling.

"You think im pretty?" he put his forehead on hers and looked into her blue eyes.

"Have you seen that body?" she beamed. "How on earth did you manage that?"

"I used to be in the cooking club…I kinda had to build myself abs to save a little dignity…I wasn't very popular in school" he bit his lip.

"I don't see why not? I think you're adorable" she wrapped her hands around his waist and felt her towel slipping.

"Crap" she grabbed it and pulled away for a second as the sides came untucked and she had to cross her legs to keep it from falling.

Vaurien laughed. "Do you want me to look away?" he smiled.

"Would be helpful" she screeched.

He span around smiling.

She was so beautiful…he didn't deserve something like her….he was a derp head… how on earth did he manage to kiss that woman in the first place?

He heard her rushing about in the bathroom and smiled.

"Can I turn around now?"

"NOPE"

He sniggered.

"Ok….nowish…you can look"

He span back around as she pulled her Pyjama bottoms up.

She wasn't in anything special… just an old t-shirt and baggy trousers…she had wet hair and wasn't wearing makeup…but damn it was she beautiful. His heart hurt a little when he looked at her.

She ran into his arms and he stuck his nose in her neck…Just to be spoiled as a wet coil of hair splashed his in the eye.

He ignored it and gave her a raspberry on her collar bone.

"You permanently smell nice" he smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"You always smell gross" she smiled back "But I don't care- The odour of feet kinda grows on you after a while"

He pinched her nose in between his fingers and they just stared at each other.

"This is cheesy and romantic isn't it?" he laughed a little awkwardly.

"I like it" she said truthfully "BUT I would have never of guessed in a million years that I'd fall in love with Vaurien Scapegrace…The killer supreme…in fact you're the last person I would have ever picked"

The light in his eyes dimmed a little and he forced a smirk "Oh…" he said.

"But" she smiled "Now I can't see myself with anyone else But you..."

She put her hand on his cheek and tilted her head to the side.

"You genuinely love me don't you" she smiled.

He blushed a little but refused to break her gaze.

"Of course I do…I remember the first time we ever met…I knew it was love since the moment I layed eyes on you…you punched me in the face and handcuffed me to a lamppost…It was brilliant"

She snorted and pushed him backwards over the sofa.

She leant over pressing up close to his body. He gasped not knowing what to do.

She let his hands start to hold her and she kissed him gently.

"Goodnight" she whispered in his ear and trailed off teasingly leaving a hand in his and pulling it apart as she walked off.

He was left wanting her more and more…and her bedroom door clicked gently closed.

Within minutes he knocked on the door.

"What?" Tanith yawned from the other side.

He opened the door and peeped his head from the corner.

"I can't sleep" he moaned.

"What do you need?" she giggled.

"A cuddle" he whimpered.

She rolled her eyes and flumped her head into the cold bit of the pillow.

She shuffled up a little to clear the opposite side of the large empty bed.

He smiled and jumped onto it like a child at Christmas.

He tucked into the covers and curled up in a cocoon of fresh cold sheets.

She sighed and closed her eyes again.

"Tanith?" he said.

"What?" she grumbled without even opening her eyes.

"Is it weird if I cuddle you…im really cold"

Tanith smiled…a reason she loved Vaurien was he was just so innocent… He had no hidden meanings, no dirty thoughts the only reason he wanted to be pressed against her in a bed was because he was cold.

She laughed and rolled over to let him wrap his arms around her body.

She felt his warm breath sigh on her face.

She fell asleep in his warm arms and the steady puff of his breath.


	13. Chapter 13

_**The child screamed for its life and with one click its neck was broken and its body was limp.**_

_**Remulous havoc drank the blood from its body and then threw it angrily into the corner of the room where it piled with the others.**_

_**He puts his head in his hands furiously.**_

_**A woman put her chest on his shoulder seductively and whispered into his ear.**_

"_**You won't find him…He found her first and now he could be anywhere…you're a fool"**_

_**He slapped her viciously in the face and she backed away shocked and hurt.**_

"_**Fallonia was so close to your grasp AND YOU JUST LET HER GET AWAY!" The woman wailed.**_

"_**Ysabella- I hate you- Leave me. I will sort this out. I will find this 'VAURIEN SCAPEGRACE' and this time I will make sure I eat his heart."**_

"_**You met him once before didn't you" She smiled bitterly at his frustration.**_

"_**The whimpering crying little fool? And he…he now has the gift of the gods? Instead of you…this cowering idiot has the capability to destroy worlds…"**_

_**Six fingers squeezed tightly on her wrist and he pulled her body into his laughing whilst she struggled for freedom. Their lips met and the blood from his previous meal swirled in her mouth.**_

_**When he broke apart from her she let her dark braided hair brush past his face.**_

"_**When you devour his heart we can not only rule the earth- we can be gods- we can laugh as the fools beneath us perish in fire and chaos."**_

_**Havoc bent his mouth into a heinous smile filled with the darkest sickest evil.**_

"_**My passion for this power will come soon my love…Then not even the faceless ones can control us…the curse of the creator of the universe my sweet woman…The fires of hell will be but a mere spark to us…we will be the universe…"**_

_**She pulled away from him smiling angrily "Well until this blabbering buffoon dies…we are nothing but words…"**_

_**He nodded furiously.**_

"_**I will search the earth until I find him…and when I do…he will be dead within a few seconds…"**_

_**Dusk appeared from the shadows.**_

"_**Sir"**_

"_**Find me Vaurien scapegrace vampire. Bring me to him alive-If you fail me-I will make you're second death unreal with pain."**_

_**The vampire laughed "I do not fail" he said plainly**_

_**Havoc barley moved his mouth as he spoke.**_

"_**That's what the American said…I am to furious to even contemplate his puny existence right now…Bring him to me…if you succeed I will reward you eternally."**_

_**The vampire nodded "I understand" he said. He faded into the darkness and havoc sighed.**_

"_**Bring me a gift." He smiled.**_

_**Ysabella glared at him with her black eyes and snorted.**_

_**She reached into a cell in a dark corner of the room and threw him a young foreign woman at his feet.**_

"_**Isn't she so small" he laughed grabbing her face with his twelve fingers "No more than an ant my love" he pulled her into a standing position holding her by her neck and laughing at the pain in her dull eyes. Her broken ankles now looked like a petty and useless attempt of escape.**_

"_**These shackles don't do you any good" Havoc swallowed "Let's…'take it off' shall we?"**_

_**Ysabella shut the office door behind her as the woman screamed.**_


	14. Chapter 14

Valkyrie yawned as she climbed through her window…Skulduggery had just got a text saying Vaurien and Tanith were safe and fine which was good. This meant she might be able to have a normal Christmas this year…finally.

She looked at her reflection that was sat on her bed finishing homework.

"Hi" it said

"Hi" Valkyrie replied. "Where's my parents"

"At a Christmas party, we are finishing homework so we're not allowed to go."

Valkyrie nodded. She hated parties anyway.

She walked over and sat back down on the bed touching the reflections hand and getting flashbacks of all the long and boring school days.

After she'd sorted it all out in her head she looked at the workbooks laying spread out on her cover.

"What's that" Valkyrie said pointing at her book.

"We got a B- in the Spanish exam." The reflection said.

"Thay'ts an awful shayme lil lady, need any help with that next time?" A voice laughed from the corner of the room.

Valkyrie stood and grabbed her hairbrush furiously.

"Oh gawd no…you gunna comb me to death?" he laughed.

Valkyrie hated intruders….especially when they were criminals.

"Sanguine you should be in hospital." She said bitterly.

He took a step forward out of the darkness of the room and into the light from the night lamp.

"Meh, I needed a change'a scenery." He smiled and leaned against her wall.

A silence filled the room and Valkyries ears burned angrily.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"Put the brush down first…then maybe we c'en talk like civilised people- hey?"

She lowered the hairbrush.

"Okay." He smiled raising both his hands to show he was unarmed.

She relaxed a little but kept her guard up.

Her reflection watched fearfully from her bed.

"You can call it whatever the hell ya' want, Guilt, fear, pride, but seri'sly I jus' wana help you."

She held in a laugh and frowned at him.

"Why the heck would you want to help me?"

"We're fight'n the sayme enemy here doll- It's common sense, aint it?"

She felt her knuckles tighten around the hairbrush.

"I don't trust you." She said honestly.

He smirked "I thought'ya wouldn." He walked forward and she held out her hand.

"Don't come one step closer." She yelled.

"Hey look honey I aint gunna hurt you." he stepped forward and she sent shadows slamming him into the wall.

He started screaming and then she remembered he was seriously wounded.

She ran to her window pulling it shut so the neighbours wouldn't hear then she dragged her curtains shut.

She ran to the wailing figure and pulled up his shirt enough to see the loosened stitching running across his belly.

"Crap" she said "Ok calm down…I think I know what to do…"

"FACKING THROW ME INTO A WALL YOU CRAZY BITCH!"

"Wrong species" she muttered and put a hand insistently softly on his scar.

He squealed.

"Oh come on that didn't hurt" she snapped.

"NO! YER HANDS ARE COLD!" he yelled.

She rolled her eyes…"Just- im sorry- now shut up and try to hold it in like a big boy…"

He angrily shut up… and started muttering something about the other side being safer.

She ordered her reflection to get the first aid bag from the kitchen and the reflection obeyed immediately running out of her room.

"I did warn you" Valkyrie said.

"I told yer that I wudn' hurt you! aint that enuf…do I really gotta prove myself?"

"Unfortunately…you have tried to kill me a lot of times…so yes…you need to prove yourself."

Sanguine considered this for a minute.

"I lied" he said.

"What?" Valkyrie glared at him.

"I aint unarmed…I still got my razor….if I was here to kill you I wudda stabbed you by now…"

Valkyrie laughed "How reassuring" she smirked.

Sanguine tried to smile through the pain but it went a bit lopsided.

The reflection came in carrying the first aid kit.

Valkyrie unzipped it and saw a stitching needle.

"Oh gawd" Billy ray sanguine for the first time ever looked very very uneasy.

"Don't worry, I know what im doing, it's your turn to trust me"

He sniggered- "I guess it is…"

She threaded his loosed stitching on the needle and started to pull it a little. The wound became tighter and started to close up. He grinded his teeth together and his eyelids narrowed to slits.

"This is going to hurt so feel free to grab my coat as hard as you can…don't you dare break it though"

He gripped her coat in his hands as the needle pierced his skin dragging the stitching into one final loop and pulling the wound closely and neatly together.

He relaxed when it was over and sighed with relief.

"How'en earth does a gurl your age know how to do that?"

"Kenspeckle taught me once…back when I cracked my knee open."

Sanguine laughed.

And Valkyrie restrained a smile.

"Look kiddo…I want ta help you… Havoc is one sick head bastard an this ol' scapegrace dude seriously don't deserve whateva havoc has planned for him…I don't usually help people…but in this case…I owe you guys…with my life…"

Valkyrie took his arm in her hand and helped him into a sitting position.

He groaned as he stretched all his sore joints.

"Jus wann'ed to let you know…I may be one of the bad guys but im not a 'bad' guy…"

Valkyrie smirked "Ok" she laughed "I feel a little better knowing that im not working with a Evil maniac…"

"Who said I wasn' an evil maniac?" He smiled "I even got the creepy eyes to prove it!"

Valkyrie laughed and then realised what this must have looked like.

She was sat with her enemy, laughing and making jokes…she was not friends with this man…she did not care about him…or scapegrace at that….both were criminals…and idiots…why the hell was she even thinking about this? She itched her neck awkwardly and shuffled back a little bit to avoid any more conversation.

Sanguine looked at her confused and then he twigged "Oh…I get it….were spozed to be enemies an all…" He sniggered "Just cuz' were criminals does not make us 100% bad honey…even the most evil people on this earth have feelings…."

Valkyrie smiled half-heartedly and nodded in agreement.

"That was really clever sanguine…" she admitted.

"Ha- im quite a clever guy doll face…" he winked and she bit her lip giggling.

Her phone bleeped and she reached out for it flicking it open-

"Two secs" she said and answered the call.

"Hi skulduggery" she said.

"VALKYRIE CAIN YOU GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW! Why are you talking to Billy ray sanguine in your bedroom? He should be in hospital!" he snapped down the phone.

"Sk…skulduggery are you spying on me?" she scoffed.

"Im….im sat on your windowsill…."

She stood up angrily and pulled the curtains to see him sat on a tiny ledge crumbled into an awkward position.

"Any chance you can let me in?" he sighed.

"WHAT THE…." She pulled open the window and dragged him inside.

"IF anyone see's you were screwed! " She yelled slamming the window shut and closing the curtains.

"Glad to see you too" he muttered.

"Evenin'" Sanguine said.

Skulduggery glared at him.

"_What are you doing here_" he scowled.

"Makin arrangements" he scowled back.

"Sanguine's on our side." Valkyrie smiled.

"He…he…no he's not…" Skulduggery snarled. "He might want to work with us…but he'll _never_ be on our side."

Sanguine smiled sadly "Hooray fer the polite skeleton…"

"Skulduggery please…I trust him…give him a chance…he wants to help us protect Vaurien."

"We don't want to protect Vaurien"

"Yes we do" Valkyrie frowned.

"No…we don't care about him, we care about what he has… we need to keep that thing away from havoc…The actual being known as Vaurien scapegrace is of no importance to us."

"But he's stupid; we need to look after him…"

"You're too nice…we really shouldn't bother…"

"Yes we should!" she insisted.

Skulduggery looked down at her angry eyes and sighed.

"Fine…protect you're criminals…there you're responsibility though…not mine…But Valkyrie remember this…once a criminal ALWAYS a criminal….you can't change ok? You can't become a different person to who you really are…The problem with you is you're too trusting. These ADULT men are evil…there's no hope for them Valkyrie…you shouldn't care so much…it'll destroy you..."

Sanguine's throat went dry and he seemed to shrink half the size… he looked like a mere shadow of the man he used to be.

Valkyrie looked up to skulduggery sadly "I have to skulduggery….i know I'm right…please…trust me just this once…"

He sighed and looked angrily at sanguine.

"Get some sleep…I'll drop him back to the hospital…we'll talk about this tomorrow."

"Come" Skulduggery barked and sanguine tried to stand…he moved up and fell straight back down.

"I SAID COME" Skulduggery yelled.

Valkyrie walked over to sanguine and brokenly lifted the man up until he was steady on his feet.

She looked into his black holes and saw the shame and guilt hidden behind the deep black spaces where his eyes had once been.

Without her mind processing what she was doing she hugged him.

The man's heart almost stopped beating in his chest and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

"Don't give up…I believe you." she said.

Skulduggery folded his arms across his chest and sighed.

When she pulled away Sanguine was still just wavering completely stunned in the same shape he was before.

His mouth moved to talk and skulduggery interrupted.

"Are we finished? We need to go…"

Sanguine nodded and clambered out the window without another word.

Skulduggery gave Valkyrie the hard shoulder and glared at her.

"Im disappointed" he grumbled.

She reached out a hand to touch his arm but he flinched away.

"I don't….'hug people'…." He snapped and left without looking at her.

Her reflection climbed back into the mirror and Valkyrie got back into bed sighing.

She knew she was right…she just wished she could show skulduggery.

She tucked into bed, turned off the light and fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

(Im sorry that the whole banter thing is quite lame in this chapter…I kinda rushed it to get onto the next chapter AND THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TOO…..SORRYYYY ;-/ PROMISE I'll improve this one day…)

Vaurien felt Tanith shaking his shoulder. But he wasn't waking up. He heard her yelling but his eyes stayed closed.

"Orisis" a voice whispered inside his head.

"Orisis…." It said again.

Inside Vaurien's closed eyes he saw a fire roaring as the voice spoke the fire spat out into the darkness of his closed eyes.

"Vaurien…listen to me" The voice whispered…it was beautiful.

"Vaurien?"

"Im here" he said "Im right here."

The voice laughed warmly.

"I need you to help me Vaurien…Can you do that?" The fire wormed its way into the darkness making a warm orange glow spread around his head.

"Yeah…wait what do you need?" He asked "Who the hell are you?" he said panicking "Where am I!"

"You're asleep Vaurien… Stay calm…I won't hurt you…" He felt his body being comforted and he set his attention back to the voice.

"Why can't I move?" He said "Whoa …this is weird…im thinking out loud in my own dream…"

The voice laughed "You always love making jokes don't you?" the voice said calmly.

"Who are you…" he said.

"That's unimportant at the moment my son, Can I explain to you now?"

"Yes…please do…im startin' to freak out here a little."

The voice sniggered "Vaurien, for Millenniums I have been searching the universes for the Orisis key- The faceless ones stole it from me when they first came to earth and since then I have never seen it…Even though I created this universe…this planet…these people…the Orisis key had been hidden from me for so so long… Fallonia…the woman you murdered…she was hiding the key in a favour of the faceless ones."

"I didn't murder her" he muttered "It was an accident…technically I just kicked her…it was an accident."

"You're sins are clean Mortal one…I only seek your help… When Fallonia realised she was living an incredibly dangerous life she decided to implant the key on somebody else…someone that nobody would expect. When you stumbled into her presence…she implanted the key in you…"

Vaurien narrowed his eyes to slits and pursed his mouth together -he was expecting the worst

"What does the key open?" he gritted his teeth.

"A door" the voice said.

Vaurien relaxed "Oh…" he smiled.

"In purgatory" The voice hissed.

"Purgatory…isn't that a place in France? I think my nana went there once…"

"It means hell Vaurien"

"Ah…"

"The gate that I want you to open is in an incredibly dangerous place…But you must understand how important this it to us all Vaurien…You need to open this door…to not only save you're planet…But to save the entire meaning of existence."

Vaurien yelped.

"W…what? NO! No…look….naked woman musta picked the wrong guy…I can't do this…I am NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THIS! Mentally and physically… there's no way I can…look big guy…you picked the wrong dude. Im sorry."

The voice got angrier. "Vaurien Scapegrace- 'The killer supreme?' isn't it? You've been longing you're whole life to be noticed, to be seen, now is your chance Vaurien…don't let this slip out of your grasp…"

Vaurien's ears burned. "_I don't long to be noticed_" He scoffed "_im not a five year old"_

The voice sounded impatient "Vaurien- If you do not open this door you are sending everyone on this planet to their deaths…"

Vaurien sniggered "Well good luck with that big guy….im getting out of here…" he started to pull himself away and the voice said something. Just loud enough for him to hear…but quiet enough to not disturb him from waking up.

"What about Tanith? Could you let _**her **_die?"

Vaurien's heart twanged with a sharp pain and he woke up gasping for air.

"VAURIEN!" Tanith wept, wiping her red raw eyes on her sleeve.

She was leaning over him and crying her eyes out.

"W…wha…whoa….what happened?" He panted.

"Y- You stopped breathing for about an hour…I called skulduggery…we thought you'd died…you didn't have a heart beat…"

Vaurien bit his lip worriedly. "That can't be good…" He shuffled up to sit up in bed.

"Why did this happen?" she sniffed sadly "I thought you were dead….you idiot"

He smiled as she wiped her eyes sadly.

"Ha- now I know you like me because you cried when you thought I was dead…"

She scowled at his and kissed his cheek.

"Oh and speaking of dying- I think I met god."

There was an awkward silence and Tanith looked at him nervously.

"Sweetheart are you sure?" she asked.

"Yup- definitely." He looked at Tanith…the twinge of pain entered his heart again…maybe he should try and find out about this Orisis thing…he didn't know if he could survive if he knew he was responsible for Tanith's death. …He almost laughed at how crazy he sounded and then yelled up to the sky.

"OK YA BIG LOG! I'LL HELP YOU!" he yelled to the roof "Hear that!" he laughed.

Tanith smiled.

"You're being serious aren't you?" She smirked.

"Yeah…" he sighed "Im in really deep shit Tanith… Real deep…"

She frowned and enveloped his body in her arms pulling his warm chest into hers.

His baggy pyjama top was soft to touch and she giggled when he breathed down her neck.

"Don't worry" she smiled and closed her eyes "Ill protect you."

He giggled, closed his eyes and buried his face into her skin.

Her hair was like liquid gold in his eyes, she looked like an angel all the time.

He put his big warm hands over hers and smiled when she kissed him.

"I love you" She breathed in his ear.

He rolled her over on top of him and pressed noses with her.

"I love you too" he smirked.

"By the way" She pulled away a little and looked into his eyes lovingly. "Were going back to Valkyries house later- like a Christmas meal- sort of thing"

Vaurien turned green "NO…." He whined.

"What is it?" she frowned.

"I hate that skeleton…he makes me feel stupid…" Vaurien pushed Tanith off him and folded his arms across his chest. "Im not going" he grumbled.

"You don't have a choice…you're coming whether you like it or not" she smiled cheekily.

"But im the killer supreme!" he yelled "I don't have any rules."

"Im the killer supreme-ess and I think you'll find that you do."

"No I don't…" He grumbled.

"Get changed." She smiled and clambered off the bed.

"Make me." He stuck his nose in the air refusing to look at her.

"Im not stripping you naked Vaurien... GET changed." She smiled and shut the door behind her.

He grumbled for a few seconds.

"When are '_**YOU**_' leaving?" he yelled.

"'_**WE'RE**_' leaving as soon as your dressed." She called back.

He muttered and threw himself off the bed.

"Stupid skeleton" he groaned "and stupid woman…bossing me around….stupid Orisis…clothes…crap…"

He grumpily got changed and looked at his bare chest in the mirror.

The blackness in his veins wasn't so bad…but he did have a nasty scar on his body from the previous morning. He looked at it angrily.

And traced his finger along one of the black coils in his chest.

He swore under his breath.

"This is bad" he sniffed lowering his head to the floor "This is realllllly really bad"


	16. Chapter 16

(By the way Happy Christmas Eve everybody! ;-D Xxx )

*****3 Hours later- at Gordon's house- The Christmas party******

Tanith came into the dining room holding the turkey and looking at Valkyrie worriedly. All eyes around the table turned and laughed at her.

"Ghastly can you take this for a second" Tanith screeched…obviously getting stressed out by all this Christmassy business.

Sanguine laughed and put his head on his fists.

"You 'aint gunna win this starin' competition idiot…" Sanguine laughed looking at scapegrace mockingly.

"I always win staring competitions! It's my hidden talent…" Vaurien's eyes started to water as he stared into Sanguine's holes.

"But mate I d'aint have eyes" Sanguine laughed at the frustration on Vaurien's face as he blinked furiously.

"What bout an arm wrestle? I can'do them…" Sanguine sniggered.

"You'll break my wrist…" Vaurien said angrily.

"Thumb war?"

"Bring it on Yankee…."

As they attacked each other's thumbs Tanith made room from all the food to fit the turkey in the middle.

Valkyrie suddenly looked up from the turkey and looked at skulduggery.

"Oh my god" she said "Why have I never asked you this before….do…do you eat food?"

Skulduggery sighed "I knew this would come up."

Valkyrie looked at him pleadingly "Seriously…do you eat…or does it just…fall through you?"

"I don't need to eat, but I can…if I want…" he said.

Ghastly laughed " When do you ever eat? I've never seen you eat! I've known you for years…"

Skulduggery didn't even turn to face him "That's because I don't eat around you…now can we eat…im starving…"

Ghastly laughed to himself.

Tanith sat next to Vaurien and looked at him judgingly.

"You gunna eat or just attack his thumb for the whole afternoon?"

Vaurien gritted his teeth and swerved his thumb over Sanguine's.

"I NEED TO WIN" he snarled.

Sanguine laughed "What we playin fer?" he said.

"The last one of them salmon things" Vaurien scrunched up his nose as Sanguine pinned his thumb to his fist.

"Nooo" he screeched.

"I win lil dude." Sanguine smiled smugly.

"No offence Billy, what are you even doing here?" Tanith said.

"DON'T" Skulduggery moaned.

"What?" She said "Im not allowed to talk to him or something" She sniggered at Valkyries 'don't do it' expression.

Skulduggery took a large sip of the wine and put it on the table.

"Let's eat..." He changed subject.

Valkyrie took a giant mouthful of the turkey and scapegrace looked at her a little disgusted.

"You eat like a pig" he muttered.

"Least I don't look like one…" she smiled back.

Vaurien scoffed and smirked at her.

She smirked back.

"Crackers!" Tanith said getting flustered by her own voice "Guys crackers first!" She grabbed the one next to her and said "Just pull it with the person next to you."

Skulduggery glared at Ghastly "I want to win the toy" he grumbled under his breath, Ghastly smiled.

Tanith and Vaurien shared one and Vaurien itched his neck "You're the lady, so I guess I'll have to let you win?"

"No!" she laughed "Try, I want to win fairly."

Vaurien plastered a smirky grin on his face "Go for it."

Sanguine looked at Valkyrie sniggering.

"Might as well…" he smiled.

She reached out for the end of the cracker he was holding out and she laughed.

Three loud cracks and Skulduggery laughed.

"YES! Hat!" he said and put on the red Christmas crown.

"That aint very Faltterin fer a skull…'" Sanguine smiled.

"Do you want me to beat you to death with a turkey? Because I will…" Skulduggery said unimpressed.

"Oh yeah! Vaurien I brought you a present" Valkyrie interrupted the argument.

"What really?!" he smiled genuinely pleased.

She passed over a large box with his name on it and Tanith looked at Valkyrie and mouthed the words 'what have you done?' Valkyrie tapped her nose laughing.

Vaurien tore it open and squealed.

The box read 'Thompsons all material blender. We can blend anything!'

Vaurien put it cautiously on the floor.

"Thanks…" he swallowed.

"Whats all that about?" Ghastly said.

"Private joke." Valkyrie smiled "Speaking of jokes" She reached for the little slip in her cracker and everyone groaned.

"I hate cracker jokes…" Skulduggery sighed "I've had decades of them and they never get better…"

"Why did the skeleton not go to the party?" Valkyrie asked.

Skulduggery's fist clenched. "I despise this one…" he began.

"Because he had no body to go with!" She laughed.

Ghastly chuckled and the others just moaned.

"See! That's just racist and discriminating to all good skeletons…"

"There aren't no more skeletons" Sanguine bit his lip holding in a laugh "You guys are supposed to be pretty dead anyway…I don't see many skeletons at parties….infect I don't see many skeletons at all…"

Skulduggery forced an irritated laugh "Next joke" he ordered.

"MINE" Tanith called.

"Two fish were in a tank…one fish says to the other one how do you drive this thing?"

Again ghastly sniggered which made Valkyrie smirk and soon they were pretty much all laughing except for skulduggery.

"Fish are physically not able to drive a tank, they don't have thumbs, or the correct muscle positions to control such a thing…and they'd be suffocating…unless the tank was underwater…which would mean it was broken and probably wouldn't drive anywhere anyway…"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

"Our turn" Ghastly laughed.

He pulled this little slip of paper from the limp half of the cracker on the table.

He unfolded it in his hands and started laughing.

"Read it out idiot…we don't even know what you're laughing at…" Skulduggery grunted.

Ghastly wiped a tear from his eye and took a deep breath trying to contain himself.

"Got my wife a wooden leg for Christmas.

Not her main present, it's just a stocking filler." He started to laugh so hard that even skulduggery's jaw was shaking a little.

"Wait I got one" Vaurien sniggered "What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?

Tinsilitis!" Even though they were so bad they were just so perfectly 'cringe worthy' they were so un-funny- that they were hysterical.

"No I gawt it!" Sanguine smiled "Why would you invite a mushroom to a Christmas party?  
He's a fungi to be with."

The whole table were laughing.

The next hour was spent in complete happiness- playing Michael Buble's Christmas songs from the radio. Laughing, eating Ghastly's crap attempt at a Christmas pudding.

It was like something off a TV advert…it was all so…'Happy'

Especially for Scapegrace. First genuine Christmas Eve party he'd ever had- since he could remember.

He was loving every second…even with the creepy American man…he wasn't so bad when you started talking to him.

Scapegrace looked at Tanith cheekily smiling to himself.

"What" she giggled in between mouthfuls of mince pie.

Vaurien held up a little Branch of mistletoe and the whole table erupted in laughter.

Ghastly was looking a bit peeved…but he was still laughing.

Skulduggery nearly grew eyes just to tear them out again as Tanith pressed her lips publicly on Vaurien's.

"RIGHT" he said loudly "Tanith's been drinking too much."

Valkyrie beamed at her.

Vaurien almost collapsed onto the table when Tanith pulled away.

"Merry Christmas" she smiled at him.

He looked around dizzily and pinched his cheek.

"Im never washing my face again." He sniggered.

"We'll see about that." She winked.

Valkyrie had noticed that Tanith's attitude towards Vaurien had changed massively, whether it was Christmas cheer or just general niceness she seemed to get along with him much more.

Valkyrie smiled to herself…she respected Tanith's choices…even if it was Vaurien scapegrace…he wasn't such an idiot after all….. AND he was pretty funny.

As everyone started to talk again Valkyrie looked at Tanith and winked 'congratulations' she mouthed.

Tanith rolled her eyes and they both stared at Vaurien smiling.

"Wha…is there something on my face?"

They laughed.

Sanguine smiled from the corner of the table but felt something wrong. Almost as if everything was slowed down he felt the background chatter around him dulling down a little. The smiles on people's faces grew dull and blurry. The room became a little colder and he looked behind him.

A figure walked into the dining room and looked at him.

He suddenly felt his heartstrings being pulled into a thousand different directions.

He knew that he'd have to make a decision quickly.

He looked into dusks eyes and knew…there were only two options.

By the look in Dusks eyes Sanguine knew he's have to pick soon.

Valkyrie put her hand on his arm laughing. He didn't even look at her.

He stood up and walked to Dusk's side.

The vampires raided the house and immediately Valkyrie screeched to the others.

By the time the others had realised it was too late.

"Get the man" Dusk roared.

Every single one of them was outnumbered six to one and the fight was unfair and brutal.

Sanguine looked to the floor turning his back to the chaos behind him.

A hand was placed on his shoulder.

"I thought you were dead friend" Dusk whispered smiling as Tanith fell to her knees.

"I guess not…" He moaned back.

"Don't worry brother, these freaks cannot keep you captive anymore, I'll set you free."

Sanguine nodded and guiltily turned to face the others.

Tanith, Ghastly, Skulduggery and Valkyrie were being held in chains and Vaurien had a bag over his head and was stuck in a headlock.

By the sound he was making- he was most likely crying.

Sanguine pushed the shame and guilt deep down in his gut….he tried not to think of the mercy shown by Valkyrie the night before- the laughing idiot who thought he'd win a staring contest with an eyeless man- the beautiful woman and the skeleton who hated Christmas.

He tried not to smile sadly at the thoughts of the people in front of him.

Valkyrie raised her head to give him a hurt and disgusted glare…there were tears in her eyes and blood on her lip.

Sanguine turned pale and had to break her gaze….but he still felt the hot anger of her glare pinning him to the spot.

He'd made the wrong choice…he knew he had… He would rather be a dead man with a clean conscience than a man baring the blood of a child in his hands.  
He nearly threw up.

"Happy Christmas" Valkyrie snarled as the giant man behind her slammed the but of the gun into her head.

She crumpled onto the floor still and quiet.

Sanguine didn't even flinch.

Tanith, Ghastly and skulduggery screamed with rage…but soon they were on the floor too.

"Leave them." Dusk said. "Bring the man."

Vaurien was pushed forward whimpering and clenching his shackled hands behind his back.

"Wait! – W-what are you going to do with me…" he cried.

"All in good time." Dusk laughed.

Sanguine felt his Guilt Boil in his blood; he bit his tongue until he tasted the irony tang of his blood- He hated himself- he hated himself so much.

He took one last look at the still bodies on the floor and walked out with dusk- pushing the petrified man out in front of them.

Valkyries words rang in his ears….happy Christmas…she'd said….so much for happy.

****************Thank you all! I'll be back after Christmas! And unlike these guys I hope you all have a very very happy Christmas and a brilliant new year!**************


	17. Chapter 17

It was when Sanguine heard bodies being thrown into the boot of the van he became unsettled.

"Dusk…I-I thought we were leaving the others behind."

Dusk climbed into the driving seat frowning smugly.

"The 'others'? Hmm- I reconsidered….better to be safe than sorry- hey?"

He dabbed the open wound on his cheek with a white cloth.

"Don't want a rescue now do we?" He added thoughtlessly.

Sanguine nodded and placed his thoughts out of the window. He focussed on silly stupid little things to take his mind off of it.

Like leaves falling or the sound of boots on gravel…realising that this was mostly his fault he bit his tongue to shut his brain up.

He watched the slight residue on the window falling down its surface and forming the pristine and solitary water drop trailing down the windows figure.

As he sighed his breath came out in a miserable puff of smoke.

Dusk didn't look at him but sanguine knew that he was aware of his emotions.

"Why are you dissatisfied brother?" Dusk started the engine and pulled the van out of the drive.

Sanguine was a good liar, He knew he was… he was quick at thinking of logical reasons, but then why now- of all times- did he find it so hard.

"Havoc thinks im dead…I…Im not safe to be around him." He spluttered on his words and hoped the hidden truth remained hidden.

"Brother" Dusk began "We have been friends for a long time, I will not let you be harmed, once Havoc see's that we have the Scapegrace man we will be rewarded greatly."

Sanguine nodded again.

"Thank you" he sighed.

"No need to thank me…I have not done anything yet…"

Dusk smiled slightly as he pressed the accelerator "Have I missed something friend? You seem…rather distant?"

Sanguine forced a laugh and punched Dusk's arm playfully.

"You seem distant you ol' blood sucker, get off my back" Sanguine smiled.

Dusk sniggered and shook his head slightly.

"Who am I kidding…I haven't missed you at all…" He laughed.

"Bro'mance…of course you have" Sanguine laughed under his breath and looked at the passing scenery.

At the notice of Sanguine's words Dusk Burst into a slick laughter.

"We do not have a bromance Sanguine…That is a made up word that mortals use…do not use that on me ever again." He smirked giving him a brief venomous glance.

Sanguine felt the tearing of his heart again.

Here he was… sat with a friend… and kidnapping friends in the boot…and planning to kill another friend who was such an idiot he didn't stand a chance.

'What am I doing' he thought.

He put the weight of his head on the seatbelt that supported it slightly; he shut his eyelids and tried to loose himself but the guilt in his lungs kept him awake.

"You ok?" Dusk asked with no concern recognisable in his voice.

"Jus' a lil car sick…a mans allowed to be ill aint he?"

"Ah- I forget these things- when I lost my mortality…you seem to not get any illnesses."

"Right…forgot you're a weirdo"

"Im a weirdo? You have no eyes, yet you can see? …That is weird."

"Fair enough…" he sniggered. "Now piss off I wanna sleep…inf'ect I need to…I h'aint slept in like three days." He slunk his shoulders up to keep his neck warm in the cold air and shut his eyelids.

The difficulty to sleep was like a sore thumb…it was obvious and annoyingly noticeable.

After a while Sanguine did sleep…but it was not peaceful by any means…it was dark and twisted.

In his dreams he saw Valkyrie hugging him…the girl had shown such kindness and he threw it into the filth…He saw Havoc piercing the blade through his stomach…he saw The six bone white fingers of a monster….the eyes…the idiot who always won staring competitions… And then it led back to sanguine himself…as a young man…his eyes being gouged out…but his sight remained. An eye for an eye….a tooth for a tooth…a life for a life…

In the back of the van Tanith held onto Valkyrie…Tanith never got scared…she never feared anything…but she _**knew**_ she loved Vaurien…and she _**knew**_ that he was scared, that made her petrified.

Valkyrie tried her hardest not to cry and she held onto Tanith's hand tightly.

This might be it- she told herself- You'll never get to see your baby sibling or your parents again- she started to cry and ghastly put a bound hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be ok sweetheart- I promise" He said.

Valkyrie was childishly comforted by his words even though she knew he couldn't keep his promise.

"Is v-Vaurien alive?" She whimpered.

Tanith turned pale "Im not sure" she whispered clutching onto Val's hand a little tighter.

"Im not sure…"


	18. Chapter 18

*Large Thank you to Aviatress…Who is practically my Valkyrie Cain! An Clarissa13 (My Tanith), And thank you so much to AppleCrumblePerson ;-) & ShegoRulz for being my good Scapegrace friends! And a huge thank you to everyone else who has reviewed! Means so much to me! Seriously! Now back to the story :-)*

Dusk slammed his fist into Valkyries face.

Blood sprayed from her lip and she started to cry.

He hit her again….and again…as hard as his limbs could allow him.

He was smiling for every single second of her torture. He tasted revenge- Sweet sweet revenge.

He'd beaten the others too…but hers tasted most satisfying.

They had chained the prisoners against the wall by their necks and wrists and the more they struggled the bonds just dug deeper into their wounds.

Bliss…Honey to his lips.

The scarred man was unconscious, the woman was silent and the skeleton showed no emotion…it was the child that made his job worthwhile.

Sanguine observed from the darkest corner of the room, flinching slightly every time she yelped.

He couldn't look up. He found the floor more comforting on his fragile emotions.

As the child could bear no more pain dusk left her hanging from a cold stone wall. The pain of her face made him snigger.

"An eye for an eye Miss Cain…A scar for a Scar…."

Sanguine cringed as he heard his thought being spoken out loud. Dusk turned around to look at Sanguine.

Sanguine looked up slightly.

"Your Razor?" Dusk held his hand out expectantly.

"I don't have it." He said bluntly. "I…lost it…"

Dusk rolled his eyes and viciously turned back to Valkyrie pulling her hair upwards to force her to look at him.

She sobbed a little as the pain rushed through her face.

He looked into her tear filled eyes and smiled.

"Sanguine, Watch them for a second…I need to check on the idiot." Dusk seemed to melt away into the darkness of the room leaving the remainder of them sat under the dim and creaking light swinging from above.

Valkyrie couldn't look at this man seated before them, like he was flaunting his freedom. He disgusted her. Just as she began to like him; just as she began to think that there may have been more to him than a ruthless, heartless assassin, he went and betrayed them. It was her fault. She shouldn't have trusted him. She should never have trusted him.

"So that was all a pretence?" skulduggery's voice was quiet, but in the deathly silence of the room it was like a knife slicing through the air.

Sanguine tightened his fist and made his knuckles go white.

"Wouldya' just shut up?" He didn't want to answer the question; he felt his throat burning and downed the glass of water in front of him.

Guilt.

He knew what it felt like...but he didn't feel it often.

He reached for his sunglasses and shoved them onto his face hoping to cover up the emotion leaking from his...eyeless holes.

He started chewing on the skin around his thumb anxiously waiting for dusk to return. He couldn't cope with this any longer. It was...hurting...him- it actually hurt him. Not 'hurt' as in knife through the chest but...deep and emotional hurt.

What the hell was happening?

"I aint no faker" He mumbled through a tight mouth almost as if he was speaking only to himself.

Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie, her frame limp leaning up against the wall. She had taken the worst beating of them all, and although she tried to keep up appearances, he knew that she was hurting...and that she'd be blaming herself.

He was the only one who heard sanguine's mumbled words; the only one who really hated sanguine; the only one who was able to make sure that emotion was not present upon his face; and the only one who could tell what Valkyrie was really feeling. And he knew that she would be distraught. He knew she'd be thinking that it was her fault for showing compassion, and that if it wasn't for her 'stupidity' then all of her friends would be saved.

"I- I thought...I thought we were...I thought we were f-friends." Valkyrie's broken and fragmented voice reached sanguine.

Sanguine gave up holding it in and collapsed his head into his hands he ran his hands through his hair and swore under his breath- trying to regain himself.

Shakily he turned to face her- he was pale and almost looked angry...that was his way of covering sadness...anger.

"We weren' friend's kid- WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS..." He let out a sort of moan that made him sound a little insane.

He observed her cautiously... frantically trying to pick up any hint of emotion...instead all he saw were the bruises and cuts on her little innocent face. They were brutal and not something he would ever want to picture on a child's face.

He felt himself gag.

"W...what did they do to you?" his body was wooden and dead...he could barely breathe.

"I...im so...sor-"

Dusk walks in pulling a black glove on his hand and carrying a knife in the other.

Sanguine loosens immediately and sits back like he's the most comfortable man in the world.

He put one elbow on the table and plastered a smile onto his face...pushing all emotions he'd just had to a side...it worked rather well actually,

" Well, well, well...that was a surprise…Never knew the idiot had it in him." He looked down at Skulduggery.

"May I just say- Pleasure to be here...in the company of you and your little puppets Mr Pleasant…it's ben far- FAR too long."

Skulduggery grunted "people do tend to find it a pleasure, but I'm hardly ever able to reciprocate the feeling."

Valkyrie just sat there, hanging her head in shame- not daring to look at dusk, who would inevitably harm her more than the others to make her pay for the damage she'd done to him. It was all her fault... And she'd lost a friend...a friend she thought she'd made… was lost...lost to the deranged power of the insane vampire. Dusk laughed blandly...barley moving his mouth from a snarl that seemed to permanently stay on her face. As Dusks attention was directed fully on Skulduggery Valkyrie saw Sanguine's smile drop again...he tried to look at her...he tried his very hardest...but yet he still found himself looking at the floor.

Hoping she was looking at him he mouthed the words 'sorry' gently under his motionless lips.

He shut his eyelids under the glasses and thanked the air around him for the blacked out view of his shut eyes.

"My pleasant, it would be very polite of you to not speak whilst being spoken too...I was' talking' if you do not recall."

Dusk glances sideways and glares at Valkyrie; who's breathing had disturbed his trail of thought...the thought of torturing her made him a little thirsty...

Skulduggery turned away unimpressed, but kept Valkyrie in his line of vision so that he could defend her (although he wasn't going to be much use chained to the wall).

Valkyrie squeezed her eyes tightly, hoping upon hope that he'd leave her alone, but she knew how unlikely it was. She'd seen Sanguine's face- he was feeling guilt- but how much of it was real? Was it just another pretence? It pained her to realise that she'd never be able to trust anyone in the same way.

A laugh echoed through the cold damp room. Valkyrie didn't open her eyes but felt a hand press against her cheek.

Its fingers were cold and skinny like a rat's tail; she smelt his breath tickling over her face.

"You know what? Im getting rather thirsty..." He starts to snigger at her fear- he could taste it.

"Would you mind? If i removed your neck shackle? Just for a moment...It will taste amazing..."

Tanith clenched her weak fist but couldn't scream as the pain in her jaw was unreal.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't. I'm coming down with a cold so I wouldn't want you to be ill." she said, with all the strength she could muster.

'_This is it_' she thought_. 'I'm going to be drained...hope you're happy sanguine_'

Dusk laughs "I don't get ill" he smiled and he opens his mouth over her neck he feels a craving for her blood tumbling threw him...as if he was transforming unwillingly.

He placed a hand on her wounded neck and started to close in on her.

The next thing Valkyrie knew, the breath was gone from her skin. She opened her eyes and saw Dusks body was collapsing backwards onto the floor completely unconscious.

Sanguine stood weakly holding a loosened brick in his shaking hands.

He was shivering and looked like he was going to collapse.

The room fell silent and Valkyrie glared at him with unforgiving eyes

'_He's unconscious _'she told herself.

Valkyrie was relieved. She was going to see another couple of minutes go by. She highly doubted that she'd see morning, or any form of light.

_**Sanguine.**_

He sickened her. Yes, he'd saved her life, and she was grateful, but he refused to be...be the sanguine she knew... And moderately liked. He didn't stand up for them. He didn't save THEM.

Sanguine dropped the brick onto the floor and curled his face into a sickened sort of look.

"I never faked it." He scoffed and seemed to unstiffen slightly.

He dropped to the floor and threw Dusk's body over his shoulder shuffling himself slightly until he was steadily standing.

"I saved your life." He growled "But I am not helpin' you escape..." He put dusks body down on the chair that sanguine was sat on and found it hard to turn back towards them.

He looked over his shoulder until he felt brave enough to face them.

Slowly the man walked forward and left a few meters in between himself and them.

"I'm not a hero Valkyrie hun...you picked the wron' criminal...it was fun kiddo...for sure…But im fed up with games...this is who I am..._A lone wolf_... I do better this way." He smiled sadly and crouched to her eye level.

She looks up at him. The man who she thought was her friend. The man who saved her life. The man who said he didn't fake it. The man was at her eye level and could clearly see the bruises, cuts and dried blood all over her face. It hurt; there was no denying that on her part. Her skin around the shackles was being rubbed raw and it was painful. Especially so when she realised that she couldn't reach out to him because her hand was chained to the wall.

He took off his sunglasses so she could see his face…this was him…eyeless…friendless…it was where he belonged.

"Im sorry." He coughed up and put a thumb on her cheek "I didn' want you to get hurt…Naw the Skeleton…awe the woman or the scar face… Or even the idiot...you gotta understand that I don't...I...I don't hate you guys...but I just dent need you guys...you understand?"

A tear runs down Valkyrie's cheek. "But- but what if...what if I said that I...I needed you? You've been a friend to me..."

He smiles with a glint of something behind his eyeless pits.

"I'd have to say that Yer a very convincin' liar...I havn been a friend to nobody..."

He watches her expression darken and moves some hair out of her eye.

"Your a nice kid...im not a nice man...Im sorry Val..."

She shuts her eyes not wanting to look at him anymore.

She sniffed sadly and whimpered under her sobs "Go..." she cried.

It was a sudden moment...as if she has controlling him...He no longer controlled his mind...or body.

He put his head on her shoulder and sighed.

"I Hate you so much...look at me val? This is all you...im a wreck." he gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.

She heard a click by her wrists and she looked up to see the key was half turned in her shackle that pinned her right hand to the wall.

He kissed her forehead.

"You're a good kid. Stay like this...always." He stood up twisted the shackle clean off and tossed the key to her feet.

"Naw get lost...before I change my mind."

Quickly she summoned all of her strength to her and unlocked all of her shackles. "th-thank you sanguine." Tanith helped her push herself up against the wall to stand up, and she hugged billy ray before unlocking Tanith, skulduggery and the rest of them. And after she'd turned the key in the final lock of Ghastly's chains, she collapsed.

Billy Ray let the others help her to her feet.

The four of them were weak, tired and scared and he doubted they'd make it till morning in a maze like this.

Havoc was due to arrive at the crack of sunlight…There was no way they would all get out alive… That was the moment for once in Sanguine's life….The one moment where in general truthfulness he did not care for his own life…and put others before himself.

"Guys…" he stuttered.

The others looked at him feebly.

"You gotta get out of here…quickly…I'll lead you through the safe way…I promise…."

Skulduggery looked at him cautiously.

"Were not leaving without Vaurien." Tanith said.

Sanguine smirked and wiped his nose slightly.

"Yeah…I reckoned yall'ud say that…how about…you lot leave and…and ill bring you the Vaurien dude."

Immediately Tanith was arguing.

But skulduggery put a hand on her shoulder.

"Tanith…maybe this 'is' the best thing to do…He has the highest chance of saving Vaurien…we…we have little."

Tanith looked at sanguine and grabbed him by his shirt pulling his face close to hers.

"If you so much as touch a hair on his head I'll make you grow back your eyes so I can gouge em' out again!"

"Charmin'" He said through gritted teeth as Valkyrie pulled her gently away.

"Sanguine I can't ever trust you again…But if you save him…I'll never doubt you ever…Please" She tugged on his shirt sleeve until he looked her in the eye.

He ruffled her hair.

"Hey I know what im doin'…I know exactly what im doin'…im sorry…please…I just wana be forgiven' thas' all… Naw come with me…before Dusk wakes up…"

With that Sanguine walked down through the dark corridors, the others trailing helplessly behind…Sanguine walked sadly hanging his head low…Valkyrie grabbed his hand for support.

Sanguine's throat went dry.

He crouched low as he heard the terrifyingly obvious sound of footsteps advancing towards him… the steady tap of feet on stone made his spine shiver.

"What is it?" Valkyrie breathed "What's wrong?"

"Havoc" Sanguine said "He's early"


	19. Chapter 19

Havoc seemed to walk straight past them as if they were invisible…maybe he saw them…maybe he didn't.

Sanguine Bit his lip staying as silent as they could in the darkness they were crouching.

It's only when the second person walked by that the silence was hard to keep.

Vaurien Shuffled forward after Havoc, being clutched in the talons of a satanic looking woman.

Valkyrie heard ghastly struggle to hold Tanith back.

Vaurien was pushed into the room where they were supposed to be held captive.

Valkyrie heard yelling, presumably Havocs voice, Then Dusk was thrown into the corridor, his neck snapped in an unnatural direction.

Sanguine flinched.

He didn't have friends…but Dusk was still slightly important to him.

He heard the body moan and immediately crept up and dragged his body into the shadows.

Sanguine looked at the face of the vampire… He looked at him emotionlessly.

"_You" _Dusk spat "_Traitor_" his face contorted in agony as he tried to snap his own neck back into place…advantage of vampires is that they were already dead.

A loud click made everyone twitch slightly.

"I aint no traitor" Sanguine whispered. "I just don't like this Havoc guy…C'mon man…Stay with me here… Havoc's bad news."

Dusk considered and shook his head sniggering to himself.

"You've gone soft." Dusk grunted as he started to sit up again.

"We gotta save that idiot…he aint done nothing wrong."

"Oh I see…you're one of _them_ now."

"I aint one of anyone."

"I think you are."

"I D'aint care what you think."

"I see." Dusk pressed his back against the wall "Well, good luck, Havoc will kill that man before you can say _stop- have fun with your new friends._."

Sanguine ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

"We're still friends aren't we Dusk?"

"We were never friends" Dusk gritted his teeth venomously.

"Great." Sanguine said and punched his square in the face- knocking the poor sod straight back into his unconscious state.

Sanguine clicked his knuckles and looked at the others.

"He was right." Sanguine said "There's nufin' we can do…Havoc's gunna kill him within a few seconds…We gotta think u' sumin quick."

Valkyrie looked up at skulduggery.

Skulduggery nodded.

"A distraction could work…if we get them out of that room and leave Vaurien alone in there…we may still have time to get out of here."

The others thought about this quietly.

"How on earth are we going to get them out?" Ghastly whispered.

"Someone can fire a gun or something? Make them think there's an intruder?" Tanith looked up at sanguine.

"The ladies gotta point…but…who's gunna risk their own neck…"

Silence.

A dirty, cruel silence filled the air.

"I'll do it." Valkyrie said.

"Not a chance" Skulduggery whispered back.

"Oh Fir god's sake would y'all s stop arguing…Vaurien's gunna be dead any second now…let me do it….I aint special to any of you so if I died it wouldn't matter."

Skulduggery agreed casually.

"Then take this." He handed Sanguine his revolver and Sanguine took it cautiously.

Valkyrie looked up into the pits where his eyes once belonged.

"If things go wrong…thank you." She smiled sadly and put a hand on his arm.

Sanguine wasn't used to being cared for…he didn't really get it…but he appreciated her words.

"Ina bit." He smiled and ran off down the corridor.

His footsteps echoed brutally loud and Havoc stirred inside the room.

When the bullets started firing Havoc appeared at the door.

This was the first time Valkyrie had laid eyes on him. And as soon as she did she wished she hadn't.

He had the shocking resemblance of a corpse, with a thin wasting face and Pale cruel eyes.

His chalky bony body was what repulsed her the most…he looked like a giant walking tombstone…

The woman next to him had literal red eyes and long black dreads.

She looked equally as repulsive. Her beauty was not something to admire but something to scowl at.

Havoc swore and temporarily looked confused.

"Guard the fool." Havoc spat and seemed to stomp his way down the hall with sickening speed.

The woman lurked in the doorway for a second and swivelled around to go back into the room.

Her body was thin and grisly. Tanith was sure that she could snap her in half with ease.

Skulduggery motioned toward the door and they all crept slowly to face in.

Vaurien was chained in the same iron shackles that skulduggery was in. His body was torn into shreds. Not so much his face…but his body…blood splattered his once white shirt and his dark red hair looked brown in comparison to the bleeding mess that was once his chest.

He wasn't moving…at all.

The woman put her claws on his face pulled it up into the light and laughed.

She unshackled him and let his body fall onto the floor.

He crumpled into a still pile.

That was it for Tanith. Without a word to the others she ran in grabbed the woman around the mouth and started banging her head against the stone floor.

The woman was screeching but was barely audible because of how hard Tanith was clutching her mouth.

By the time the woman had passed out Tanith was shaking with rage and threw her body into a puddle on the stones.

Tanith's neck craned over her shoulder and looked directly at Vaurien's body.

Valkyrie ran over and dragged his head onto her lap.

His body was cold and twisted and his eyes were shut tight.

She put her ear next to his mouth "He's not breathing." She screeched.

Panicking she felt tears rise in her eyes.

"Hey come on you idiot don't be dead…please don't be dead."

She pressed her fingers on his neck…nothing…then his wrist…nothing…her hand back away from his corpse as if it had burned her.

"H…he…he's not…he…he's dead."

Tanith broke down behind her screaming and clawing at the filth on the floor.

It seemed to have unhinged her and miserably ghastly sat in the filth with her holding her back.

Valkyrie looked at his mangled body…and thought of the silly killer supreme…the silly man who always got put in prison…who always tried to escape and who always failed…who always craved to be noticed. He was a funny little thing…it almost broke her heart to see the dweeb laying there…dead.

Valkyrie sniffed and the tears came rolling out of her eyes.

"He didn't deserve this…" She sobbed.

Skulduggery watched from the shadows his arms folded across his chest.

"Get his corpse…we need to leave now."

_*******Meanwhile*******_

Vaurien opened his eyes…it was dark down here…he didn't like it very much.

"Hello?" He said…He looked down at himself…he was naked…he sniggered.

"Hello again Vaurien." The voice said.

"Ah…hey big guy…sooo….am I dead this time?"

"Yes…temporarily …" The voice replied.

"Ok man I'll help you now… I guess I had a pretty lame death… I don't even remember it…"

"You passed out from pain and then bleed to death… It wasn't pretty." The voice said.

"Oh…that's a little better than what I thought…my mother told me that she was going to run over me in a bus…that would have been lame."

The voice laughed slightly "Vaurien…Time is of the essence here…you can't be dead for too long ok?"

Vaurien nodded "Oh right yeah…sure thing big guy…I'll be back after I find this door or whatever…can't be too hard."

The voice went silent "Yes…Urm…well please try Vaurien…This is very very important remember."

"Sure thing God…I got this SORTED."

The dark fell silent again and Vaurien looked around…Nothing…

"Oh crap…" He sniffed.

"Vaurien?" His head pricked up and he turned around the follow the voice.

When he saw where it was coming from his eyes narrowed to slits and he put his hands over his face.

"Sanguine? Man what the hell are you doing down here….Oh and you…you're also naked…"

Sanguine looked down and his smile kinda vanished- he covered his manhood and awkwardly shuffled towards Vaurien.

"Are we dead? Who were you just talking too?" Sanguine said.

"God" Vaurien said casually.

Sanguine's eyebrows rose up slightly.

"Right…W…w…where do we go from here? We…were not permanently stuck here are we?"

Vaurien bit his tongue at the thought.

"No…I gotta find this door…or a portal…or something…called Orisis."

Just as he started worrying a door started growing from the darkness…it was Huge…Colossal and mighty.

"whoa…" Vaurien Gauped up as it grew and grew.

"Is that the door?" Vaurien called up into the…dark.

No reply came down.

"Well I guess it is…all I got to do now is…reach for the handle…"

He looked up all those thousands and thousands of meters up.

"Ah…" He sighed.

Sanguine groaned and pulled his face tight with both his hands.

"We're fucked." He moaned "Were stuck dawn here fer eternity…both two dead naked men…just casually tryin ta open a 5000ft door."

Vaurien itched his nose.

"Maybe if you give me a boost?"

Sanguine's jaw dropped

"you think ima lettin' a naked idiot clamber up on top o' me…you gotta be joking."

He backed away slightly.

"You aint puttin' none of your junk on me got it?"

"Seriously sanguine it's either that or eternity stuck like this?" Vaurien looked at him angrily.

"I for one am not sitting down here for eternity…. Gimme a boost."

Sanguine looked down at the floor and sighed…

"You'll never be able to climb this thing…" He sighed and cupped his hands together.

"Just do it…but If I feel any…of…_THAT_…on me…you can boost yerself."

Vaurien put a hand on his shoulder and a foot on his hands, he pushed up and sanguine had to shut his eyes tightly.

"Oh god oh god oh god…." Sanguine screwed up his face furiously.

Vaurien reached on tip toes…then fell off sanguine…as Vaurien slammed onto the dark floor…he felt a beam of light stinging at his eyes…he opened one to see a second door growing.

Vaurien laughed and pointed, they ran over to the perfectly normal sized door and Vaurien saw light coming out of the sides of it.

"this' gotta be it." Vaurien said looking at the perfectly normal door.

As his hand went for the handle sanguine pulled him back.

"Hey…maybe…maybe you shouldn't." He snapped

"What's your problem? You think I should try opening the Giant door again? This is the door Sanguine…I can feel it…"

Sanguine looked at him unimpressed.

"Look im just saying… if you gotta find a door or whatever…isn't this dangerously easy to open?"

Vaurien looked at it…then at sanguine "Your stupid…of course it's not dangerous…look it's made of pretty wood…you like pretty things sanguine…let's stay with this door."

Sanguine frowned.

"No." He snapped "Im not letting you open this…"

Vaurien looked at him evilly "FINE…we'll wait here for a few minutes and see if anything better comes up.

Sanguine nodded and sat down…putting his elbows on his knees and looking around.

"You wanna play eye spy…" Scapegrace said sitting down.

"There is nufin to spy idiot…there's two big doors… and blackness…that game would be over in a few seconds…"

Vaurien sighed "how about I hum a song and you guess it?"

Sanguine put his head in his hands… "SURE" he moaned sarcastically.

Vaurien started to hum and sanguine restrained a laugh.

"What the hell?" He sniggered.

Vaurien kept trying to remember the next part of the song and sanguine looked at him mockingly.

"You're not for real….this is crazy…"

After Vaurien got to the chorus Sanguine had enough.

"Is it call me maybe?"

Vaurien beamed "YOU GUESSED!"

Sanguine felt the ground shake and as he turned around; two more doors sprung from the ground…one was made of blackened glass and the other was so small he probably couldn't fit his hand though.

"Can we open the nice door now?" Vaurien asked.

"What about…that little one…"

Vaurien looked at the little one disapprovingly.

"I like this one." He grunted.

Another door grew from the ground… then another…and another…soon there were doors of all shapes and sizes circling them.

Sanguine span in circles clutching his head.

"Daym…" He scoffed.

"NOW WHAT!" Vaurien screeched "DO WE JUST OPEN ALL OF THEM? HUH?"

Sanguine started panicking and he walked around in the large circle scanning all of the doors…

"I dunno…" he admitted.

Vaurien scowled "then what are you doing?"

Sanguine traced his hand along the doors trying to see anything special.

"Im just trying to spot one…a unique one…"

Scapegrace rolled his eyes "Of course you are…" he huffed.

Vaurien looked around him and helplessly tottered around looking at the hundreds of doors… he hated doors.

There was a tall one, one made of straw, a metal one and a brown one… he groaned and looked at more and more until he literally had no idea.

Vaurien traced his hand along a handle and moved on to the next.

Something tore inside of his chest and he retraced his steps slightly.

He looked at the door from before and studied it carefully.

It was a completely ordinary white door… it was pretty scuffed and the handle looked old and rusted.

The door wasn't important…it was the name carved into it that made him shiver.

'Mason Francis' was cut into the door using a pocket knife and a black felt tip.

Vaurien's eyes welled up slightly and his hands traced the writing as if it was freshly cut into the wood.

A hand was placed on his back and sanguine looked at the floor.

"I found mine too…" he said glumly.

"That was your name? Mason?" He brought it up to try and distract him away from the door.

"Yeah" Vaurien wiped his eyes aggressively "Back then it was…89 years ago…"

"This was your bedroom door wasn' it? Mine was the same…" He put his arm around his shoulder.

"Don't go in Vaurien…nothing good'll come out of that… C'mon man….lets work this out and get out of here…"

Vaurien scapegrace looked at his childhood…he looked at it and he left it alone…

"You're right…" he said looking at sanguine

"Now aint the right time to regret our past." He patted the back of Vaurien's head and spun around to look at all the doors.

"If we ever get home…im gunna change fer the better…" He sniffed "im fed up o' bein the guy that everyone hates…"

Vaurien laughed "I know exactly how you feel… If we get back…im going to grab Tanith in my arms kiss her and run away to some exotic island…"

Sanguine sniggered "so you fancy the blonde woman?" He smiled baring his perfect white teeth.

Vaurien looked away for a second… "Yeah…I really do…" he smirked.

"Hell, im gunna go up ta' my ol man and give him a hug…" Sanguine laughed.

"I havn' talked ta that creep in ages…but I spose he's my skin and bones y know? My flesh and blood…"

Sanguine sighed.

"Hey…You're not such an idiot…t…thanks man…"

"For what?"

"Just…stuff."

Vaurien nodded and punched sanguine in the arm.

"You're not so bad Yank- Now let's get out of here…"

Sanguine nodded and stood himself up again.

"Let's go for the pretty door…" Sanguine sniffed.

Vaurien's eyes blazed "you're kidding?" he groaned.

"You know what we might as well Vaurien…" He took a deep breath and puffed it out.

Vaurien stiffly walked away from his door and made his way up to the original one.

It was calm and simple…it would have to do.

Vaurien put his hand on the handle and they heard a lock turning from the other side- the door clicked…and it opened slightly.

"Is that it? Is that the door?" Sanguine looked to Vaurien who shrugged.

His hand clamped around the brass handle and he pulled it open.

As they opened it fully they both looked at each other confused.

"There's nothing here?" Vaurien said.

"Maybe it was the wrong door?" Sanguine sighed.

Vaurien looked around "well what if they're all the wrong bloody door!" he squealed.

A light pinpricked from the open gateway…then another…and another.

Sanguine backed away as hands reached their way into his chest and pulled a key out from behind his heart.

Sanguine gagged "don't you feel anything?" He felt his stomach rising.

"NO!" Vaurien squealed as the hands melted away dragging the key with them.

Vaurien reached out holding onto the key with all his strength…

"Fucking get off!" He screamed kicking the hands away as they dragged him to the floor.

Sanguine grabbed him under his arms and pulled the opposite direction.

The hands gripped around his ankles and pulled as hard as they could.

"SANGUINE!" Vaurien screeched.

"IM TRYING!" He yelled back.

The hands started to shriek in a high and sickening roar pulling Vaurien harder and further threw the door.

Sanguine used one hand to pull out his straight razor and he sliced his way through all the clawing hands. Some of the fingers fell off weakening their grip on Vaurien and some hands were sliced apart completely.

"Where the hell did you get that!" Vaurien yelled over the shrieking.

"You don't wanna know." Sanguine stained to pull him free and as he sliced at the hand grabbing his ankle they both went flying backward the door slamming shut in front of them.

They sat panting and lying on the floor… Vaurien wiped his forehead gasping for air.

"Wow" Sanguine said "If anyone saw us now…that would not look good."

"Why not?" Vaurien panted.

"What? Two sweaty men lying on the floor gasping for air… Naked…"

Vaurien tried to laugh but his voice came out in a wheezy squawk.

"D-don't make me laugh…" he laughed "I can't breathe."

Sanguine sniggered while trying to gasp for air…

"I hate you." He smiled.

"I hate you more." Vaurien smiled back "Where did you find that razor…"

Sanguine fell silent.

"Shall we try the little door?" Vaurien asked.

"No…" Sanguine panted "I think I get it now…We…we're not supposed to find the door."

Vaurien looked at the dark sky.

"What do you mean? Were stuck here sanguine…let's just face it…"

"No…I mean... This…_Place…_likes _games_…it's made all these doors so it's practically impossible to find the one we want… So…instead of going for a door we can see…what about one that we can't see?"

Vaurien licked his lips and nodded…"No…I really don't get you…"

Sanguine shrugged…"There's a gap… over there" He said pointing to an empty space…

Vaurien sniffed "What the hell he said and stood himself up.

"Im sick of this place….come with me…we can't really _die _we're already dead… What more can we lose right?"

Sanguine agreed and they ran over towards the empty space…Vaurien looked into the blackness…there was nothing there…he reached out…nothing.

"Nothing there" he said.

Sanguine shook his head.

"Try again." He snapped.

"Sanguine, man, there's nothing there! Try it yourself."

"Open the bloody door!" Sanguine yelled

"_What door_!" Vaurien shouted back.

Vaurien look at Sanguine's furious face and sanguine pushed him into the emptiness.

At first Vaurien felt himself falling…but then he realised he was standing on something; something solid and hard under his feet…almost wooden.

Vaurien put his hand angrily down by his feet and they heard a lock clicking from the other side.

Whispers filled his head…he felt…funny.

His pupils dilated and he reached out for sanguine as he felt himself falling, Sanguine came tumbling through after him and they fell with frightening speed.

Lights and galaxies tore through the darkness and a voice from above laughed

"Thank you." It said…

Vaurien screamed as he felt himself being tossed and thrown about by the wind…he started to feel again and he was hurting badly….it came back like a massive smack to the face…..

Vaurien opened his eyes and looked straight at Valkyrie gasping for air.

"Hey." He breathed.

Valkyrie dropped him and screamed.


	20. Chapter 20

***IM SORRY THAT THE END OF THIS STORY MAY NOT BE WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING! I had a dream almost of how it should end so I've kind of just gone with it! I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Please read other Stories from my profile and thank you so much to all my FF friends out there! Again thank you for reviewing! And for all the support I have had from friends of mine.  
THANKS!  
~Beefpie***

Vaurien keeled over gasping for air and gripping hands over his chest.  
"Whoa…" He sighed "Where's Billy? He was right next to me?" he looked up into Valkyries eyes…She was pale and had her mouth open.

"You ok? You look terrible?" He sniggered.

Tanith looked up from the floor…she'd been crying.

"Hey…hey wait…you guys are crying…You guys…YOU CARE!" He smiled putting all his pain aside.

He laughed hysterically and used Valkyries shoulder to pull himself up into a lazy sitting slump.

"Is sanguine here? I was just talking to him…" Vaurien said trying to prop himself up on an elbow.  
Valkyrie gritted her teeth "Sanguine died too?" She sighed.

Vaurien seemed to get hit by all the memories from the other side and nodded.

"Ah" He said "Right…I remember now…But we found it….We found it! So now im just plain old me again! No creepy god key inside of me! Just plain old Vaurien scapegrace…"  
He beamed ecstatically and Valkyrie laughed.

Tanith stood up from the shadows and walked forward.

"You're an idiot" she smiled sadly.

He looked up at her longingly.

"I thought you knew?" he smiled.

She crouched down by his face and put her hand on his cheek.

"Vaurien scapegrace…never in all my life, did I ever think I would fall in love…Never…so you tell me….how on earth did I end up falling in love with you."

He stuttered for an answer and then finally thought of something witty to say back.

"Because im pretty?" he said.

She laughed and kissed him.

Skulduggery almost tore his own skull off.

"WAIT one second…" He said "How about we put all this insanity to a side and get out of here before a certain somebody comes back? Is anyone else thinking right now? LET'S get out of here." Skulduggery moved for the door and walked straight into someone's chest.

He walked back a few steps and looked up.

Havoc smiled.

His teeth were rotten and his face was livid with fury.

"So the little idiots back with his friends?" Havoc laughed.

Tanith drew her sword and pointed it at the woman crunched into a corner of the room.

"Stay away or I'll kill her" Tanith screeched.

Havoc didn't even flinch.

"I wouldn't care." He spat.

Tanith shrugged pulling away "Worth a try…"

"Now Vaurien….my boy….are you going to be a nice idiot and give me your heart? Im getting hungry and I have a deal to make." Havoc seemed to gurgle on every word.

"It's over…" Vaurien said "I've already opened Orisis….You can't open it again… Give up."

Skulduggery looked at ghastly "What the hell is Orisis? Why do I have no idea what's going on?"

Havoc's face dimmed "You're lying." He scowled.

"Nope" Scapegrace said looking around "Wow this is awkward…but…I guess you're whole plan to dominate the universe didn't really work…"

Havoc's eyes burned.

"No!" He screamed "You…how…you couldn't open it? It's impossible to open…"

Vaurien looked around itching his neck then slapped his head mockingly "Oh im sorry? Have you been to hell and opened it yourself? I didn't realise?"

Havoc's rage started to boil.

No more ruler of the earth…no king of the stars…no deal with faceless ones…This…tiny incompetent fool…has shut off the universe's most important information system in existence.

Havoc felt his skin shredding…he felt his lungs expanding.

Vaurien swore.

The man blocked the doorway filling it with his massive bulk of a body…growing more and more with each passing second.

Valkyrie looked at Tanith.

Tanith looked at Vaurien.

Vaurien swore again.

Skulduggery flexed his hand and sent a stream of flame scorching at its body.

It brushed it away and as its shoulders smashed the doorframe parts of the wall crumbled off.

Valkyrie backed away.

"What's happening?" She screamed.

The man that was once havoc tore the sixth finger off of his hand and slammed it into his chest…like a worm it ate its way through his flesh making his face morph forward and his spin crack out.

The man grew more hideous and more revolting by the second.

Vaurien Looked at Tanith.

"We can't get out of this…were dead…" The fear in his eyes made Tanith scared.

A loud laugh made everyone back away slightly…

He wiped spittle from his oversized mouth and growled.

He moved forward and swiped a giant hand at Vaurien; he went slamming into a wall making a dent as he fell forward again.

He was out straight away.

Valkyrie curled shadows in her hand and sent them flying at its face; again it just swiped them away like a bad smell.

Tanith thrashed her sword around desperately and it sliced his palm- he hissed and clobbered her with his foot, The giant mass of creature slammed a fist into Valkyrie breaking two of her ribs and then he stamped on the ground making ghastly tumble over and slam his head on the floor.

Skulduggery looked up and rolled his sleeves up.

"Good evening" He said and just managed to avoid being crushed against a wall.

Havoc leapt at him and skulduggery jumped for freedom. As the heap landed it grabbed skulduggery lower half and lifted it in its meat plated hands.

The creature squeezed crushing the bones on skulduggery like he was paper.

"Y'er not bein' very nice? Now are you?"

Havoc span around as billy ray stuck Tanith's sword straight through its windpipe.

Havoc pulled the metal out of his throat screaming and smacked billy into a wall.

Sanguine fell off it screaming and looked at his mangled arm.

"You feckin' bastard!" He screamed "Wanna try that again?!"

Havoc spat onto the floor and stormed directly at sanguine raising a fist to slam into his head.

"Im afraid Havoc…for once I actually agree with _him_." Dusk whispered.

Sanguine's straight razor plummeted into the thick steel skull of the creature, cracking it like a coconut on a rock.

Brains fell out, so did some black oozy liquid… Dusk curled his nose in disgust.

As the lump of flesh collapsed onto the floor dusk took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the bloody razor on it.

"You'll be wanting this back I assume?" He scowled.

Sanguine gritted his teeth through the agony and reached his good arm out.

"Can ya call an ambulance?" He screeched "We all look pretty bad"

Sanguine looked around at the pile of bodies all of them either bleeding, unconscious or moaning.

Dusk looked at him with pale grey eyes and smiled.

"No." He said calmly and started to walk away.

"Cheers" Sanguine muttered.

Dusk tossed the Razor back into Sanguine's reach and bent over pulling the finger out of Havocs chest…Dusk examined it for a moment ,scowling, and then put it in his coat pocket.

"Until next time" He nodded curtly.

"Why'd you do it?" Sanguine said  
"Havoc failed…By killing him…I saved myself the pain later…" Dusk whispered his words like the wind in a night breeze.

"Ye'r a complicated guy Dusk" Sanguine said reaching out for his razor.

Dusk laughed slightly and left the room in a hazy blur.

Sanguine looked around, tired, hurt and unable to do anything… Skulduggery looked up slightly and got out his phone.

"I'll call Kenspeckle… and tell him it's urgent." Skulduggery said with pain hanging on his words.

"Tha' might be a good idea…" Sanguine bit him lip to control the agony.

He sat in silence and put his head back against the wall.

He took a sigh of relief and shut his eyes.

Skulduggery talked to Kenspeckle on the phone and within an hour He picked them up and took them away…Then they all got better and became friends…The end.

***********/*************

Vaurien's head looked at thrasher from the inside of the jar.

His remaining eye was narrowed with anger.

"Wow" He snarled…. "That…was possibly the worst story I have ever heard in my life."

"I would never date Vaurien" Tanith laughed.

"And me and sanguine as friends? Pfft that's likely…" Valkyrie smiled

"Why wasn't I in it?" Fletcher said

"I don't like you very much…" Thrasher replied innocently.

Fletchers face dropped slightly.

"Thrasher that was a lame story…" Sanguine said from his hospital bed.

"But I made you nice in it?" Thrasher exclaimed.

Skulduggery shook his head.

"Well…thanks for wasting a perfectly good afternoon…I'll be going now…We most certainly should never do this again"

Valkyrie laughed as her, Tanith and ghastly turned for the door following skulduggery.

"HEY!" Vaurien yelled "Tanith! You wanna go out sometime?"

"Nope" Tanith yelled back and left the room.

"She's totally into me" Said Vaurien's head.

Sanguine sniggered "Good luck with that." He laughed.

"Master did you like that it?" Thrasher smiled.

"Don't ever talk to me again."

Thrasher nodded understandingly.

"I get it." He said "It's because you'd rather date me isn't it?"

Sanguine Burst out laughing and his voice echoed through the halls of the hospital.

Vaurien's head burned with embarrassment.

"Thrasher" He spat "I hate you"

Thrasher laughed and hugged the jar.

"No you don't! You adore me! You're so funny master! You and your funny jokes!" Thrasher laughed.

Vaurien's head scowled.

"Sooo…" Sanguine said still smiling a little "What you wanna do now?"

"Eye spy?" Thrasher beamed…

Vaurien's head looked up slightly

"Might as well…" Sanguine nodded

"Sure." Vaurien replied angrily.

'Why him'…he thought…'why was it _always_ him?'

****FIN******


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